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.
Heidi
