Surprise police called to beaver sighting near Fry’s
Surprise-AZ Surprise police protect the city from more than unruly humans as wild animals are often the subject of calls. Police responded to a beaver sighting about 6:30 p.m. June 20 near Nick’s Diner at Litchfield and Waddell roads. Police captured the beaver with a shopping cart and then called Arizona Game and Fish Department.
“Surprise” is actually a city outside Phoenix and not too far from the Agua Fria River which flows down to the Gila. But the real surprise is here is what happened next.
Darren Julian, an urban wildlife specialist for the agency, said beavers are indigenous to Arizona and are usually found in areas with water such as the Salt River and Lake Pleasant.
“This one was probably in the midst to find some open water to recolonize,” said Mr. Julian, noting they do not have to swim and can move long distances in canals and drainage areas. It is unlikely the beaver hitched a ride on a truck or trailer.“They are pretty heavy and low to the ground,” he added.
Someone from Fish and Game (sorry, in AZ it’s Game and Fish!) actually knows about beaver dispersal? And even understands about overland dispersal? Are you telling me Game and Fish has a special warden assigned to urban wildlife?
Someone hand me my smelling salts, I’m feeling faint.
Darren Julian sounded like such a potential beaver friend I had to go look him up. I found his contact info at the Global Institute of Sustainability where he presented a poster session with colleagues in 2007 called
An integrated approach to resolving urban wildlife conflicts by using public education and community involvement. Poster presented at the January 10, 2007 CAP LTER Ninth Annual Poster Symposium, Global Institute of Sustainability, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ..
No seriously. He was the lead on a project that educated citizens about living with wildlife and gave them tools for effective coexistence.
That’s right. Someone from Game and Fish presenting on coexistence. Go read the whole thing and maybe drop Julian a note of gratitude. I did. Julian_et_al
In the mean time, that lucky beaver got dropped in the river. Not that icky urban Gila where he would have been trapped out in minutes mind you (just a 20 minute drive from Frys). He was delivered to the beautiful and mostly wild Verde River which is 40+ miles to the east.
Now that’s a surprise.
