Trackside Creatures
Have you ever seen Badger? He likes to live in the railway embankment under the tracks. It’s nice and quiet and dry there, ideal! But Badger has to move. That’s what the railway people want. Why? And how are they going to do that, because Badger is a protected animal! Find out here! What do you smell here.
Digging paw
Feel it! Be careful though! This is a paw from Das: five toes with long, curved claws. They are perfect for digging.
Robot mole
The railway workers want to know how big Badger’s burrow is. From the outside, they can only see the entrance. So they use a robot mole to drive into the burrow and make videos. But only after the family has moved out, of course! That way, they can see where the tunnels are. And therefore also where the railway embankment needs to be repaired.
Wire mesh
If only the railway embankment is repaired, Badger will simply start digging again! That is why the railway workers lay special wire mesh on the railway embankment. Dig-resistant wire mesh. Then Badger will no longer be able to dig there.
Artificial burrow
Badger does not want to move. He had chosen his spot so carefully! The railway workers therefore build a new, safe badger house near his own burrow. With a small hill where he is allowed to dig. An artificial burrow! That way, he can continue to search for food in his own garden.
Meet Stork. She likes to build her nest in a high place. She feels safe on an overhead line portal on the railway. But it’s not safe! The railway workers are not allowed to remove the nest, because Stork is a protected animal. How will they ensure that she builds her nest somewhere else?
Storks and Trains
Storks are not bothered by the railway tracks, but the railway tracks are bothered by storks. If a branch from their nest falls on the electric wire, it can cause a fire. That is what happened with this nest.
Pellet
Storks love beetles and worms. But they don’t like hard beetle shells or sand that sticks to the worms. They collect these in their stomachs and spit them out as a ball. A pellet. Can you see those black bits in it? Those are the remains of beetle shells.
Clever tricks
Railway workers come up with clever tricks to prevent storks from building their nests on railway poles. Can you spot them?
- Wire with balls: This prevents the twigs from staying in place, forcing the stork to find another spot.
- Slippery tubes: When the stork places twigs on them, they keep sliding off.
- Spinning windmill: The windmill spins in the wind and glitters in the sunlight. This frightens the stork and it flies away.
Have you met Beaver yet? He loves to eat the bark and leaves of trees. But Beaver can’t climb, so he gnaws at the trees to bring them down. This is dangerous along the railway tracks. The railway workers want Beaver to find another place to live. But Beaver is clever and also a protected animal. How can they ensure the safety of both Beaver and the trains? Find out for yourself!
Gnawing teeth
See those large front teeth of the beaver? He uses them to gnaw trees. He builds a house from the branches he nibbles off. A beaver lodge. His teeth wear down quickly, but that doesn’t matter. His teeth just keep growing.
Beaver tail
The beaver’s tail is large and flat. And rough! Feel it carefully. He can steer well with it in the water. Sometimes he slaps his tail hard on the water. Then his family knows there is danger.
Legs
Beavers can swim very fast with their hind legs. They have webbed feet, just like swans. Feel them carefully.
What do you know about Swan? You often see Swan in meadows and in the ditches between them. It’s quiet there and there’s plenty to eat. Swan doesn’t think she’s in anyone’s way. Yet she is often a danger to trains. The railway workers try to keep her away from the tracks so that the trains are safe, but also for Swan’s own safety. How do they do that? Swan will tell you.
Swan ribbon
The railway workers do not want Swan to collide with the cables above the tracks. That is why they hang ribbons along the tracks near the ditches where she often takes off. Swan can see them from afar and flies neatly over the cables. Sometimes the railway workers also plant trees under the ribbons. This creates a green wall that Swan can fly over safely.
You probably already know Cat! Cat likes to visit the station. Every day for a while, and sometimes for the whole day. The railway workers don’t mind, because Cat is friendly and not dangerous to the train or passengers. But why does Cat like going to the station so much? He’ll be happy to tell you himself.
Hi, I’m Cat. How nice to see you! I often visit station 1820 in the Railway Museum’s Railway Garden. That’s where you’ll find my friends too. You can already see them here on the wall. We are railway animals and we all have our own railway story. Would you like to hear them? Then walk to the Railway Garden. It’s just outside the door and then keep to the right. Have fun!
Cat paws
Cats have five toes on their front paws and four on their back paws. The fifth toe is slightly higher than the rest. When a cat walks, it doesn’t touch the ground. It is very useful for grooming its coat and catching mice. Cats have strong, curved claws that they can retract. They keep them sharp by scratching trees or scratching posts.
Real station cats
Many stations in the Netherlands have a station cat. Here are a few well-known ones:
- Brammetje, the station cat of Purmerend Weidevenne. He always gave travellers a headbutt. They were very sad when Brammetje died. That is why there is now a statue of him at the station.
- Clyde, the station cat of Woerden. He makes people feel at home. Passengers sometimes give him tasty snacks. His owner has therefore put up a note: ‘Give the cat cuddles, not food 😊’
- Lola, once the station cat of Winschoten. But not anymore! One day she got on a train and couldn’t get off until she reached Germany. In Weener. And she stayed there! In a cosy house with other animals.
- This station cat used to work for the railway! In the Lost Property department at Maliebaan station. He caught the mice that came after the lost property. Just look at all the things travellers leave behind on the train. Cuddly toys, gloves, hats and much more!
Have you met Deer and Rabbit yet? They love coming to the railway tracks. Rabbit even lives in the railway embankment! The railway workers don’t think that’s safe. Not for Deer and Rabbit themselves, but also for the trains. They’ve come up with a clever way to keep Deer and Rabbit away from the tracks. What is it? You can find out for yourself here.
Scent pole
Railway workers have put up scent poles. Deer, rabbits and other animals are scared of them and stay away from the tracks. Would you dare to smell one of these stinky sticks?
Droppings
Roe deer and rabbits poo in places they consider important. This way, other animals can smell that they should stay away. Roe deer and rabbit droppings are always found in groups. Roe deer droppings are larger and sometimes stick together.
Antlers and paws
Roe deer have antlers. Only adult male roe deer have them. They grow new ones every year. The old ones fall off. Feel them.
Rabbits have long nails on their paws. Can you feel them? They are very good for digging. Some people believe that a rabbit’s foot brings good luck and always carry one with them.
Look for rabbits!
Rabbits stamp on the ground when they want to warn their family. Can you see them sitting in the bushes? How many family members does Rabbit have?
Have you met Snake yet? And Lizard and Toad? They often go on journeys. Sometimes they have to cross the railway tracks. That is very dangerous for them! They are small, and trains are big and heavy, and also very fast. The railway workers have come up with a clever solution especially for Snake and other small animals. Listen to what Snake has to say about it.
Animal tunnel
Snake, Toad and Lizard want to get to the other side of the railway embankment. They can do so safely using the special animal tunnel. That way, they don’t have to crawl over the tracks. Would you dare to do the same? Along the way, discover which other animals also use the tunnel.