Recently, forestry workers installed a wooden signpost near the shores of a pond in Poland’s Lubliniec Forest District. The trail around the pond is a popular destination for walkers and cyclists — but they aren’t the only ones who use it.
Along the water’s
edge, local beavers have been busy preparing their burrows, creating potential hazards for people.
“Warning! Damage caused by beavers,” the sign reads.
And in a way, the sign predicted its own fate.
“Beavers are under full legal protection in Poland, and while we don't want to harm them, we have to warn people about the holes in the road they had dug,” Adam Siekiera, a forestry worker, told The Dodo.
But, much like the pond and its surroundings, the sign turned out not to be just for people, either.
Not long after it was put up, the sign was chewed down — by the very beavers it mentioned.
Upon discovering the damage, forestry workers couldn’t help but laugh.
“We found the situation amusing,” Siekiera said. “Evidently, they liked the taste of the post, or perhaps they can read and didn't appreciate us talking about them.”
The beaver or beavers responsible were kind enough to leave the signpost on the ground beside the gnawed-off post, making the warning message even more tangible than before.
Siekiera says workers will put it back up with a metal post this time. But regardless, there are no hard feelings.
“What I enjoy most about my job is the contact with nature,” Siekiera said. “Any wild animal can catch you by surprise, even someone who spends a lot of time observing them.”
