Last Thursday I posted about my conversation with Kat and Rhonda about the beaver situation in Irving Texas. They were protective about their ‘source’ who alerted them to the action and wanted to make sure I would protect her as well. They might not have bothered because Bonnie Bradshaw decided to talk to the media herself.

In Irving, a fallen tree ignites a fight over beaver banishment

Around the same time, Irving was advertising next year’s trapping contract. The only bidders were Moore and Bonnie Bradshaw — a leader in the movement against wildlife relocation.

Citing research showing higher death rates among transplanted beavers, Bradshaw pitched the city on her plan to scrap the traps and instead coat trees in beaver- repellent paint. Parks officials weren’t interested. They already protect their trees, and needed a way to deal with resident complaints and potential cave-ins caused by beaver caverns.

So Bradshaw took her pitch to the public, sending out a dire news release that warned of Irving’s “plan to secretly trap beavers.”

“I could care less about getting the contract,” Bradshaw said. “I just don’t want the beavers trapped.”

City officials say the new contract — presumed to go to Moore — would merely continue their policy of no-kill, as-needed beaver control. But Bradshaw, quoting from the document, painted it as “a year-long contract to trap ‘as many beavers as possible’ from ‘any wetland area’ within the city limits.” (The contract actually says potential trap sites “will include any type of wet land areas.”)

“Please shine a spotlight on something that the city is trying to hide under the cover of darkness,” she wrote, highlighting a requirement that trappers work in off-hours and avoid public contact.

Word of the contract spread through wildlife circles in North Texas and beyond. An ecologist with the Humane Society of the United States emailed the city from Connecticut, warning that more beavers would simply replace the trapped ones.

Last week, Bradshaw and a few others went to City Hall to promote an online petition against the policy. Nearly 900 have signed.

Soon, news cameras were in Northwest Park and city officials were answering calls from worried beaver lovers.

“They’re being misinformed,” said Joe Moses, assistant director of Irving’s parks department. “They’re under the impression we’re going out in the middle of the night trying to rid the city of beavers.”

Bonnie has been working to teach the use of flow devices in Texas. Now that is bringing the message that relocation isn’t the honeymoon it sounds like right to the people! If the mountain won’t come to Muhammad… It’s about time someone talked about the risks of relocation. Especially if you are dumping one or two at a time into an area that already has lots of dumped beavers!

Moore and Bradshaw are big names in North Texas wildlife management. And big rivals.

Bradshaw contracts with the Johnson Space Center and Dallas, which she says has moved from traps to educating residents since it hired her. Moore, in contrast, roams the region catching gators, snakes and worse. A few years ago, he helped Irving plan a massive roundup of feral hogs.

“His livelihood depends on promoting the myth that relocating is better for the animals,” Bradshaw said. “That’s not scientifically based.”

She pointed to studies that found beavers had trouble surviving after being moved. Researchers in Wyoming tracked more than 100 and found that every juvenile either died or wandered away from its new home.

Moore questioned Bradshaw’s motives. “She’s trying to spank the city of Irving because they didn’t hire her,” he said.

Shh, here’s my favorite part…

He asked what kind of life a beaver could have surrounded by traffic, concrete and homeowners who tend to shoot nuisance wildlife, not report it.

Funny question that. I know about 36,000 people who can tell you that the city of Martinez beavers are enormously happy. Seven years happy to be exact. Well let’s hope Irving keeps the argument going long enough to force a discussion and a new beaver management policy. Certainly Mr. Moore’s generous offer to move beavers piecemeal into a beaver ghetto where they will never find family members and die of competition needs to be exposed to a little more sunlight. I would say Irving is well on their way.

Mean while, our own Cheryl Reynolds has been diligently waiting with camera poised for the arrival of kits with no luck yet. Our beavers have been humerous good sports though and afforded her the opportunity for delightful snapshots this weekend. One came when an old plank floated up on the primary dam at high tide.

walking the plank — Walking the Plank – Photo Cheryl Reynolds

Arrgh! Who knew beavers were pirates? The other fantastic moment came when beavers emerged near the secondary dam through the water so thick with fish there were actually fish flipping around on ther back and head when she surfaced! The many hazards of a beaver’s life!

fisheye close — The old Fisheye – Cheryl Reynolds

I guess we shouldn’t be impatient. Reviewing the history I see that kits weren’t photographed until June 10th last year or July 1st the year before that. Good things will come to those who wait.

I had a long conversation yesterday with Kat Milacek and Rhonda Burkhardt-Thomson from the DFW wildlife coalition over the beaver issue in Irving Texas. If you haven’t heard anything about it, here’s a fairly recent report.

They got word of the contract the park issued to take out ALL beavers from ALL wetlands. But when the media started poking around they revised it to say they were relocating beaver only from the pond. (Insert Grinch explanation to Cindy Loo here). Kat and Rhonda started an online petition that got 800 signatures from around the nation, and the park department got so defensive they adapted their own web page in response.

There is misinformation and a petition circulating regarding Irving’s beaver trapping program. The City of Irving would like to correct the misinformation and provide our residents an accurate account of this story.

Yayaya. I’m sure it was all a complete misunderstanding…

Apparently three beavers (one adult and two yearlings) have already been captured and released onto private land. This is less than ideal timing, to say the least. Since kits are probably going to be left behind as they may not be able to dive out of the lodge/bank hole without adult help. My guess is that mom will stay with them as long as she can, but eventually succumb, leaving them alone.

I talked with Kat and Rhonda about solutions, about wrapping trees and getting media, they expressed frustration over how slanted the news was and how many of the park department’s lies it broadcast. Was it worse because they were in Texas? (Hahahahaha) Sadly no, I sympathized. The media is deeply naive and will be believe what officials tell them to the ninth degree. The only things on your side are cute pictures and compelling stories. Which you have so far, so buck up I told them!

Given that three beavers were already captured, I advised that it was going to be better to get the rest as quickly as possible. Try and find out where they were living to make sure none get left behind. In the mean time try and get video or night video and send that to the news station in order to pressure the park to sit down with you and make a beaver management plan for the NEXT beavers that come along. I thanked them for caring about beavers and wished them a hearty good luck!

It’s hard for me to wrap my head around the thought that there are people who want to save beavers in Texas. But I’m grateful for the chance to be proven wrong. It’s a big state, and they need the water. They should all care about beavers. Just look how good that’s working in California! (Not.)

Onto beaver defense in New Hampshire where this great letter was published in the Valley News.

Letter: What About the Beavers’ Ecosystem?

I have lived in the Upper Valley all of my life and for 53 years have traveled 12A, where on numerous occasions the beaver dams have been altered to prevent flooding. I just wonder why we always have altered the beaver dam, a dam that builds a viable ecosystem for aquatic life and waterfowl. We continually use destruction to solve the immediate crisis. I ask the state to propose alternative solutions before the next crisis.

Throughout all the election years of the past, I have listened to campaigners boast about their achievements in passing bills that have millions of dollars set aside to preserve and maintain habitat. Can we apply some of those funds in Plainfield to a solution that allows for a viable Route 12A and a thriving aquatic ecosystem? Upper Valley residents need to say we want a chunk of the money to preserve this ecosystem now! Do you believe that money spent regarding our encroachment on wildlife habitat is better than money spent to preserve wildlife habitat? If so, I ask you to help by writing or calling our state legislators about this issue. Let’s stop responding to a crisis and start finding a permanent solution.

William Monette

Wow! Asking for action at the state level! That’s dreaming big William! I like it! But you might start with your own city or county to get the ball rolling. Why not talk to your neighbor Art Wolinsky who installed a culvert protector a few years back. Now the beavers are building on the other side of the culvert, but he’s committed to solving the problem the right way. Just look at this video from this morning: (watch all the way to the end for essential commentary).