Along the edges of canals, rivers, and flood protection dikes, small, round openings in the soil often go unnoticed. These burrow entrances, created by beavers at the water's edge, can cause significant damage over time. The burrows, which can extend 6 to 8 meters on average and up to 15 or 20 meters in more developed cases, undermine the stability of riverbanks and dikes. Inside, the complex network of tunnels provides shelter for entire beaver families. Although the beaver itself weighs no more than nine kilograms, its impact on the landscape can be enormous, especially in areas where it has no natural predators. Beavers were introduced to France around 1882 for the fur trade, and their commercial breeding began in 1927. The economic crisis of 1929 led to the collapse of the fur trade, and many breeders, unable to afford the upkeep of their animals, released them. With no natural predators in the regions where they were introduced, the beavers thrived and multiplied rapidly. Selected for high reproductive rates, they can have two to three litters per year, each with up to seven young. Warmer winters since the mid-1980s have further contributed to their population growth, leading to widespread proliferation across wetland areas. The impact of beaver activity on infrastructure is significant. In Italy, between 1995 and 2000, damage to hydraulic structures alone was estimated at 11 million euros. In France, while no major dike has officially collapsed due to beavers alone, wetland managers warn of the cumulative effect of small, unnoticed damages. On Île-d'Aix, for example, beaver populations have grown so large that they outnumber the island’s permanent human residents. This has forced local authorities to implement trapping campaigns to manage the situation. The cost of maintaining and repairing waterways, dikes, and surrounding areas has become a growing concern for local communities and syndicates. Beyond infrastructure, beavers also cause damage to agriculture and wildlife. In regions like Charente-Maritime and Vendée, losses on crops such as maize, rapeseed, and sunflower can exceed 500 euros per hectare. They also destroy reed beds and the nests of waterfowl, while competing with native species like the water vole. Additionally, beavers contribute to the spread of liver fluke in livestock and can carry leptospirosis, a disease that affects humans. Although the beaver is not the only carrier of this disease, its growing population increases the risk for those who live or work near water. Efforts to control beaver populations have largely relied on trapping and regulated hunting. While these methods remain the primary tools used by wildlife management agencies, new strategies are being explored, including sterilization and physical barriers. In Lyon, for example, the city has sought permission to replace traditional eradication methods with sterilization to manage beaver populations more humanely. Despite these evolving approaches, the simple trap cage continues to be a common sight along riverbanks, as no region has yet found a completely effective alternative to managing the persistent presence of these industrious rodents.