Mystery Beavers To Get New Home

Nationwide Attention Continues To Help Beaver Family

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — The once-condemned beaver family near Bakersfield’s Park at Riverwalk have yet to be seen, but will soon have a new home.You may recall there was public outcry and nationwide attention when the city got a permit to kill the beavers for gnawing on and tearing down trees.

CNN.com linked up to the original story, providing the high Internet traffic needed to spread the word both nationally and internationally, about the plight of the beavers who made a home near a popular bike path in Bakersfield, Calif.

The supervisor for Bakersfield Parks & Recreation told ABC23 they have wrapped 20 trees to protect them from beavers. But he said no one has seen the beavers.Now the city is trying to relocate the beavers. For now the beaver family is still living in a drainage ditch along the Kern Recreational Bike Path. So far no more trees have been damaged.

The city has identified an area to relocate the beavers in Tehachapi and the city is working with the Department of Fish and Game to get approval. Once the site is approved, city officials said an expert trapper will catch the beavers and relocate them unharmed. He also said the traps that were set by the Department of Fish and Game were pulled up empty after the city revoked its permit to destroy the animals.

Though yet to be seen, Nick Belardes from KERO 23 has been searching for the beavers. You can read about his quest and watch video clips on his Save The Kern River Beavers blog.

–mko

Are beavers too good at their jobs? A news story released today has been creating quite a stir in the media. The Kern River Beaver Family of Bakersfield, California, has received a death sentence by wildlife officials. From the KREO 23, an area news station, website:

Wildlife Officials: Local Beaver To Be Killed

Beaver Said To Be Gnawing Down Too Many Trees

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — A local beaver who is making a mess of trees near the Kern Recreational Bike Path has been given the death sentence for its crimes.

Nine trees have been gnawed to stumps near the Park at Riverwalk.

Now, state wildlife officials have issued a permit to kill the rodent. They have yet to reveal how.

When asked why officials couldn’t just relocate the little vandal, they said that is not an option because the animal’s nature is to stop the flow of water, which could ruin an irrigation canal or destroy more trees at another location.

The adaptations, ecology and biology of the beaver make it second to humans in its ability to manipulate and engineer its surrounding environment to suit its needs. Is killing the Kern River Beavers the answer?

You can let your voice be heard on the issue on a blog titled ‘Save The Kern River Beavers’. You can also add Benny as a friend by checking out his myspace page.

***UPDATE: KERN RIVER BEAVER FAMILY TO GET NEW HOME, 1/9/08, 10:53pm***
***UPDATE: KERN RIVER BEAVER FAMILY SAVED, 12/21/07, 2:04pm***

–mko