It’s a case of damned if you do; damned if you don’t.Calgary conservation groups are complaining about animal welfare policies after the city’s public works department trapped and killed a pair of beavers at a northeast storm drain pond this week.In a post on Twitter (“X”), the city confirmed the deaths but said it had no other “coexistence options” after a dam threatened to cause flooding in the area. It subsequently hired a third party contractor to set “lethal” traps after all other measures, including breaking the dam, had been exhausted..“Trapping is a last resort, but sometimes necessary to protect public infrastructure,” it said in a response to Mayor Jyoti Gondek. “Unfortunately, relocating beavers to other areas is not an option… due to low survival rate and increased risk of disease transfer.”Relocation can also upset the ecological balance and potentially create future human-beaver conflicts, specifically with respect to pets. The area was located off Country Hills Boulevard and is a popular spot for walking dogs.“We consider all other options before turning to trapping. However, in some cases it is required. When we do remove beavers, we use traps that are designed to kill instantly. The traps are placed under water for the protection of dogs, park users and other wildlife, and are checked daily,” it says on its website..A single adult beaver can cut down about 200 trees in a year City of Calgary website.“With each lodge housing four to six beavers, wooded areas can be devastated in a short period of time. This is harmful to other wildlife that rely on the trees for habitat.”City of Calgary.And while it notes beavers have positive contributions to the urban ecology, a single adult beaver can cut down about 200 trees in a year. “With each lodge housing four to six beavers, wooded areas can be devastated in a short period of time. This is harmful to other wildlife that rely on the trees for habitat.”The city said it is expecting recommendations for pest control in other parts of the city, including Fish Creek, before the end of the year.But that didn’t stop local wildlife lovers from venting against the city policy.“Perhaps if the City of Calgary had cleaned the drain regularly the beavers might still be alive. I visit that pond regularly and there was a lot of reeds and grass that floated to the drain not necessarily from the beavers,” said one user, called ‘Higgy’..The Nose Creek Preservation society also weighted in with a critique and an online eulogy set to music.“If they're not designing those storm pond systems with the recognition that sooner or later a beaver is moving in, they're putting themselves behind the 8-ball to start with.”
It’s a case of damned if you do; damned if you don’t.Calgary conservation groups are complaining about animal welfare policies after the city’s public works department trapped and killed a pair of beavers at a northeast storm drain pond this week.In a post on Twitter (“X”), the city confirmed the deaths but said it had no other “coexistence options” after a dam threatened to cause flooding in the area. It subsequently hired a third party contractor to set “lethal” traps after all other measures, including breaking the dam, had been exhausted..“Trapping is a last resort, but sometimes necessary to protect public infrastructure,” it said in a response to Mayor Jyoti Gondek. “Unfortunately, relocating beavers to other areas is not an option… due to low survival rate and increased risk of disease transfer.”Relocation can also upset the ecological balance and potentially create future human-beaver conflicts, specifically with respect to pets. The area was located off Country Hills Boulevard and is a popular spot for walking dogs.“We consider all other options before turning to trapping. However, in some cases it is required. When we do remove beavers, we use traps that are designed to kill instantly. The traps are placed under water for the protection of dogs, park users and other wildlife, and are checked daily,” it says on its website..A single adult beaver can cut down about 200 trees in a year City of Calgary website.“With each lodge housing four to six beavers, wooded areas can be devastated in a short period of time. This is harmful to other wildlife that rely on the trees for habitat.”City of Calgary.And while it notes beavers have positive contributions to the urban ecology, a single adult beaver can cut down about 200 trees in a year. “With each lodge housing four to six beavers, wooded areas can be devastated in a short period of time. This is harmful to other wildlife that rely on the trees for habitat.”The city said it is expecting recommendations for pest control in other parts of the city, including Fish Creek, before the end of the year.But that didn’t stop local wildlife lovers from venting against the city policy.“Perhaps if the City of Calgary had cleaned the drain regularly the beavers might still be alive. I visit that pond regularly and there was a lot of reeds and grass that floated to the drain not necessarily from the beavers,” said one user, called ‘Higgy’..The Nose Creek Preservation society also weighted in with a critique and an online eulogy set to music.“If they're not designing those storm pond systems with the recognition that sooner or later a beaver is moving in, they're putting themselves behind the 8-ball to start with.”
