Authorities in Argentina have unveiled plans to entirely eradicate the beaver population of Tierra del Fuego, a province in the far south of the country.

100,000 beavers will be exterminated in the cull, which is forecast to take 10-15 years to complete.

Beavers were introduced to the region in 1946, when 50 of the animals were imported with a view to being a source for a nascent fur trade.

However, with no natural predators, the animals' numbers swelled, and they have caused widespread environmental damage.