Author: bruce85@mac.com

The issue of Beaver relocation continues to be discussed. The subcommittee’s report will be reviewed by the larger City Council in March and the determination as to whether the beavers can remain will be finally decided. No one should be confused into thinking that our beavers are “safe” or that the dynamic November meeting was the final word. Public support and response remains necessary and will be even more important at the March meeting.

Of particular importance is the myth that relocation is somehow “good for beavers” or a humane solution. In the hands of an expert like Sherri Tippie it can be, but left to the devices of local trappers it is more likely to be a prolonged death sentence. Here is what happened to the beavers trapped at the very high profile Lake Skinner case in Riverside, CA.

“Thirteen beavers were trapped live and removed, one died struggling in a snare, and one was killed by a predator while held in a snare.. Virtually all mortality could have been avoided if Hancock traps had been used (and properly deployed).The end result was not satisfactory to the majority of opponents because of the Reserve’s failure to engage the underlying scientific questions, the mortality during trapping, and philosophical opposition to the exploitative placement of the relocated animals. Six beavers were confined in zoos or other captive display facilities (one beaver subsequently died in a fight resulting from inappropriately co-housing two males), four were relocated to a reserve in Texas, and three went to a movie production company.

Clearly our beavers do not need to be in a zoo or a movie set. Relocation is not a simple fix, and not the humane solution in is often presented to be. Make sure you spread the word that this is not an acceptable solution.

Heidi Perryman 

A midnight visit to the dam showed four happy healthy beavers with no signs of the day’s danger.   A network of care had intervened to keep the beavers out of harm’s way.  S/C member Igor Skaredoff was the first to notice the Oleander, and contacted committee members and city staff.  City Engineer Tim Tucker called Julian Fraser who was able to remove the oleander and other concerned residents checked through the night to make sure it didn’t “reappear”.  It remains unclear whether the act was a mistaken attempt to “help” the beavers–Julian reports the branches were chainsaw-cut and 15-20 were planted in circles around existing trees – or whether this was a malicious attempt to end the beaver “problem” for good.  What is clear is that the subcommittee needs to address the augmentation of appropriate food supply to make sure our beavers are supported in their current habitat and firmly ask that residents respect this and not supply cuttings. 

In the mean time all beaver friends should keep an eye on the site and spread the word to others to do the same.  There was a police call about three teens on the dam over the weekend, and this kind of dangerous behavior needs to be controlled.

Beaver Tales
Cheryl Reynolds
1.18.08
9:00 PM

It was a crisp, cold night out at the beaver lodge. The kits were cruising back and forth and in and out of the  lodge. There was sure a lot of whining when coming from the den that would get louder whenever a kit would enter it. They even used their old exposed entrance One little guy had a mouthfull of mud he brought back with him.

Raccoons were taking advantage of the lowered water and feeding near the beavers.One of the adults was floating around in the annex patrolling the pond it seemed. A minute later we hear a loud whap!. Then a second tail slap. I guess the racoons got the message because we could see them heading under the street to go upstream.

This afternoon Igor Skaredoff wrote committee members about toxic 
cuttings on the beaver dam.  He expressed the following:

These were obviously not cut by beavers, but had the unmistakable characteristics of being  yard-waste type trimmings.  Evidently  someone is artificially augmenting the beaver’s activity.  The scary part about this is that the cuttings are from oleanders, which are toxic.  All parts of this plant are toxic, the wood, the bark and the leaves.  I  have read accounts of Boy Scout troops  
inadvertently poisoning themselves by using Oleander sticks as hot dog skewers.  If they poison Boy Scouts, they probably won’t do beavers much good either.  I have talked with Tim about this & he is arranging to have the cuttings removed.

I find this episode distressing. Someone has apparently decided to  take matters into their own hands and proceed independently of the work that our team is endeavoring to do.  I don’t know whether this is someone trying to help the beavers and through ignorance is  exposing them to poison, or someone who does know the toxic nature of the Oleanders and is purposefully trying to get rid of the beavers.  In any case, they should stop & we should put the word out that this kind of activity should not take place.

Igor

We should be working together to arrive at the best solution we can and we should discourage folks from going off on their own and  subverting the good-faith efforts of the committee and the community it represents.IgorThe beavers need are help keeping their habitat safe.  Please spread the word about this incident and do what you can to make sure no others follow.  If you see suspicious activity at the dam, intervene or ask someone for help.