Let’s finish our weekend with this compassionate soul in New York. A concerned resident implored the city council for protection.
New Paltz asked to put up ‘beaver crossing’ sign on South Ohioville Road
Town Board members are being asked for a sign on South Ohioville Road warning drivers to watch out for beavers. The request was made during a Town Board meeting last week, when resident Thomas Gallo said the large rodents are crossing the highway to go between swamp areas.
“There’s a beaver family that lives somewhere over there,” he said.
“By my house there is an underground water drain that goes under the road through my property and across the Thruway,” Gallo said. “There’s a den 50 feet from the road right next to the underground pipe.
“They grow up, they come to my den, they cross the road to see the water, and they get hit by a car.”
You are a good man Thomas. I share your worry that beavers are so low to the ground only the most cautious driver will miss them. I remember in my childhood there was a passing thought that if children’s bicycles had weren’t so low not as many children would be hit by cars. For a while we all had tall flags on our bike to make them more visible, which I’ve often thought could help beavers by being installed on their tails. I’m not sure how we could attach them. Or how beavers would enter the lodge with them, but it’s a thought.
In the meantime I’ve saved the town of New Paltz the time and trouble and made them a sign. Feel free to borrow or share.
More gentle beaver news from the empire state. This from professor and author Susan Fox Rogers. Seems she was out kayaking on the Hudson River the other day, and was greeted by this heart-breaking visitor.
She knew enough to think he was lost, and none to happy about his dislocation. She spied a nearby lodge across the way and coaxed him into following the boat so she could bring him there.
I guessed it was lost. Across the channel rested a stick pile, a beaver lodge. I moved my boat to the middle of the channel thinking the little beaver might swim to me once again and this would get it closer to home. It did. And I had the foresight to turn on the video in my pocket camera. And sure enough, after it rounded the stern of my boat, the baby beaver swam off toward the lodge.
She’s a nice writer, and if you want to go read the entire piece check her blog out here. In the meantime lets hope that adorable baby was old enough to dive home or smart enough to smell his family inside the lodge and stay put until they woke up!
Everybody gets kits before us. No arrivals last night either, but a high tide and all the family members coming down from the primary dam. So maybe the kits were up there, which is puzzling to say the least. Those whacky beavers! Always keeping you guessing.
The certificate for Hornblower arrived yesterday, and I realized it will be good in 5 locations. If you’ve never celebrated a special occasion or brought a visiting relative to brunch under the golden gate, you really should do so soon. Better yet, bid on our certificate and save yourself some money while supporting beavers!
