So this little fellow was found yesterday in downtown Hutchinson looking “distressed” next to a manhole and a nearby watcher called Advance Termite Pest Control to come take care of the problem. The article speculates that the yearling was probably trying to get to “another beaver down there”. With a few magical phone calls,”Termite” (as he was cleverly dubbed by his captors) was invited on an all expense paid trip to the Hutchinson Zoo, whose own beaver had, sadly, just died two weeks ago. The article goes on to speculate that “Because the beaver was on land instead of in the water it was easy to trap without harming it.” And for the past few days the beaver has been enjoying a bowl of carrots under zoo quarantine.
Now before I let slip the dogs of war, let me say that putting a beaver named Termite in the zoo is much, much better than doing the what mostly happens to things named termite. I’m sure the zoo director is very well intentioned in offering him asylum and the beaver equivalent of “three hots and a cot” (three cools and some pools?)
But SERIOUSLY???
Lets start at the beginning. That beaver wasn’t standing lost by a manhole because there was another beaver down there (sewer beavers? like the pale new york alligator myth?) He heard running water and he wanted to get back to it. He’s a disperser, leaving his family as they do and going overland as they do, to look for his new start in life. It is heartbreaking to me that this adventure now ends in concrete.
And second, if you are looking outside and see a beaver and wonder who to call, Advance Termite Pest Control is probably not the most compassionate choice.
And third, if you want to pat yourself on the back for not harming a beaver by trapping him on land, you might have a conversation with this lady, who has done it for a living since Reagan was president.
I could go on…but I’m late for work…here’s my letter and maybe you want to write one of your own.
Dear Hutchinson Zoo Director Charlotte Poepperling,
Yesterday’s news speaks excitedly of the new beaver successfully displaced to your zoo. It is certainly much better that the little confused disperser (juvenile seeking his fortune) is protected at a zoo rather than killed by an exterminator or hit by a car. Surely you can imagine, though, that not everyone shares your same enthusiasm about the “kit-napping”.
Beavers are a keystone species, and contribute in the wild by increasing bird and wildlife, improving water quality, trapping silt and filtering water, and making habitat for other popular game animals. A huge national conference was just held in Washington state regarding the use of beavers as aquatic engineers to regulate drought conditions. The idea that one juvenile picked up off the street wins the opportunity to replace your last beaver specimen that died, saddens me.
I understand that zoo’s have an important role in helping children and families understand wildlife and our own role as responsible stewards. But you’d be teaching the children of Hutchinson much more if you found a suitable relocation site for “termite”, allowed him to be reintroduced, and brought the children into helping observe and document his improvements to the habitat.
Worth A Dam would be happy to help you connect with interested professionals, enlist supporters, and educate your young animal lovers.
Heidi Perryman. Ph.D. President & Founder Worth A Dam
