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Netherlands Steps Up Muskrat Fight as 2025 Catches Climb to 85,000

Water authorities target eradication by 2034 using over 400 teams with annual spending above €40 million.

Overview

  • Nearly 85,000 muskrats were captured nationwide in 2025, about 25–27% more than in 2024, with most removals in the west and center of the country.
  • Schieland & Krimpenerwaard recorded the highest total with 18,368 animals, while Rijnland surged about 74% and Delfland fell roughly 32%.
  • Flevoland ran counter to the national trend, reporting a drop of more than 30% that officials credit to closer collaboration and focused tactics.
  • Officials say intensified control could push totals higher in the near term before declining as populations shrink toward the 2034 benchmark of fewer than 500 a year.
  • Beaver rat numbers remain low at about 1,800, concentrated near the German border, where cross‑border conditions influence control efforts.