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That Dam Beaver Again
It's Canada's national symbol, but Red Deer beaver puts fear in pet owners. Warning issued as team attempts to find beaver
By Jamie Komarnicki, Calgary Herald July 15, 2010 Comments (102)
An aggressive beaver in a Red Deer off-leash park is believed to be responsible for at least two serious attacks on dogs, including one that led to the death of a husky.
Several other reported beaver attacks at Red Deer's Three Mile Bend off-leash park have not been confirmed, city officials say.
But an investigation has been launched to find the bucktoothed rodent believed responsible for the violent behaviour.
"It's a very, very odd situation," said Trevor Poth, Red Deer parks superintendent.
The central Alberta city has rarely had to deal with problem beavers, despite a large population of the rodents in Red Deer, he said.
A team is being called in to locate the beaver and determine whether to remove it and its family from the park.
"Right now we're a little unclear, whether it's one or more. Beaver identification is pretty challenging," Poth said.
"For us, this definitely was a first. It came as a bit of a surprise for us, and we're taking it really seriously," he said.
"We want people to feel safe in the park."
The city first learned of the beaver problem Monday from Alberta Animal Services, the agency contracted to enforce bylaw issues in Red Deer.
The agency had received reports that a husky died from a wound sustained in a beaver attack, said Don Elliot, a supervisor with the agency. Another dog was also injured in a separate incident with a beaver in the popular off -leash park, he said. Three further calls came in reporting attacks, though they haven't been substantiated.
Red Deer resident Heather Markiw regularly takes her 10-month-old German shepherd-cross dogs to exercise in the park.
Last Thursday, one of Markiw's pets, Sierra, had a run-in with a beaver that left the dog bleeding and injured.
Sierra needed more than 10 stitches on her underside and now needs a tube to urinate. Markiw reported the incident because she didn't want other dogs to fall prey to the beaver.
"I want to make dog owners aware that there is a beaver who's been quite aggressive lately," she said.
Red Deer has a relatively robust beaver population that currently includes about 30 beaver lodges along its river system, according to Poth.
For the most part, people and wildlife have been able to co-exist peacefully in the park. Poth said this is the time of year when baby beavers (or kits) are starting to emerge from their lodges.
If a parent beaver believes its young is under attack, it could go on the offensive. That is likely what has happened when dogs swim near the beaver lodges in the park, said Poth.
The city issued an advisory warning people to be cautious in the area.
Meanwhile, a conservation biologist is scheduled to examine the site of the attacks and meet with Alberta Animal Services to decide how to deal with the aggressive rodent.
The park will be closed down at night to allow the work to occur, Poth said.
The beaver and its family are likely to be removed from the area, though it's possible that traps will be used.
"Based on the condition and location of the lodge, age of family, we will make the assessment with the conservation biologist."
Markiw said she doesn't want the beaver to be harmed or its lodge removed from the park.
But doesn't want other pets to go through the same experience as Sierra.
"I just don't want other dogs owners to have to go through what we're going through with our dog," she said.
[email protected]
==
Beaver Facts
Measures: About 1.3 metres long, from nose to tail, weighs 16 to 32 kg
Description: Forepaws are small, with long, sharp claws suited to digging. Paws are very dexterous -- almost like human hands. Teeth are exceptionally long and sharp. Due to constant grinding, incisors are chisel-sharp and able to chew through very large trees. One beaver cuts down an average of 216 trees a year.
Defences: Under attack, beavers stand their ground and protect themselves. They face the aggressor, rear up on their hind legs, and loudly hiss or growl before lunging forward to deliver extremely damaging bites.
Lifespan: Up to 12 years.
Source: Hinterland Who's Who
© Copyright (c) The Calgary Herald
Read more: http://www.timescolonist.com/technol...#ixzz0twxUcqru
By Jamie Komarnicki, Calgary Herald July 15, 2010 Comments (102)
An aggressive beaver in a Red Deer off-leash park is believed to be responsible for at least two serious attacks on dogs, including one that led to the death of a husky.
Several other reported beaver attacks at Red Deer's Three Mile Bend off-leash park have not been confirmed, city officials say.
But an investigation has been launched to find the bucktoothed rodent believed responsible for the violent behaviour.
"It's a very, very odd situation," said Trevor Poth, Red Deer parks superintendent.
The central Alberta city has rarely had to deal with problem beavers, despite a large population of the rodents in Red Deer, he said.
A team is being called in to locate the beaver and determine whether to remove it and its family from the park.
"Right now we're a little unclear, whether it's one or more. Beaver identification is pretty challenging," Poth said.
"For us, this definitely was a first. It came as a bit of a surprise for us, and we're taking it really seriously," he said.
"We want people to feel safe in the park."
The city first learned of the beaver problem Monday from Alberta Animal Services, the agency contracted to enforce bylaw issues in Red Deer.
The agency had received reports that a husky died from a wound sustained in a beaver attack, said Don Elliot, a supervisor with the agency. Another dog was also injured in a separate incident with a beaver in the popular off -leash park, he said. Three further calls came in reporting attacks, though they haven't been substantiated.
Red Deer resident Heather Markiw regularly takes her 10-month-old German shepherd-cross dogs to exercise in the park.
Last Thursday, one of Markiw's pets, Sierra, had a run-in with a beaver that left the dog bleeding and injured.
Sierra needed more than 10 stitches on her underside and now needs a tube to urinate. Markiw reported the incident because she didn't want other dogs to fall prey to the beaver.
"I want to make dog owners aware that there is a beaver who's been quite aggressive lately," she said.
Red Deer has a relatively robust beaver population that currently includes about 30 beaver lodges along its river system, according to Poth.
For the most part, people and wildlife have been able to co-exist peacefully in the park. Poth said this is the time of year when baby beavers (or kits) are starting to emerge from their lodges.
If a parent beaver believes its young is under attack, it could go on the offensive. That is likely what has happened when dogs swim near the beaver lodges in the park, said Poth.
The city issued an advisory warning people to be cautious in the area.
Meanwhile, a conservation biologist is scheduled to examine the site of the attacks and meet with Alberta Animal Services to decide how to deal with the aggressive rodent.
The park will be closed down at night to allow the work to occur, Poth said.
The beaver and its family are likely to be removed from the area, though it's possible that traps will be used.
"Based on the condition and location of the lodge, age of family, we will make the assessment with the conservation biologist."
Markiw said she doesn't want the beaver to be harmed or its lodge removed from the park.
But doesn't want other pets to go through the same experience as Sierra.
"I just don't want other dogs owners to have to go through what we're going through with our dog," she said.
[email protected]
==
Beaver Facts
Measures: About 1.3 metres long, from nose to tail, weighs 16 to 32 kg
Description: Forepaws are small, with long, sharp claws suited to digging. Paws are very dexterous -- almost like human hands. Teeth are exceptionally long and sharp. Due to constant grinding, incisors are chisel-sharp and able to chew through very large trees. One beaver cuts down an average of 216 trees a year.
Defences: Under attack, beavers stand their ground and protect themselves. They face the aggressor, rear up on their hind legs, and loudly hiss or growl before lunging forward to deliver extremely damaging bites.
Lifespan: Up to 12 years.
Source: Hinterland Who's Who
© Copyright (c) The Calgary Herald
Read more: http://www.timescolonist.com/technol...#ixzz0twxUcqru
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