Comments on: NY Beavers Are Back

By: kittenz

kittenz — Sat, 24 Feb 2007 20:29:28 +0000

Alton Higgins said:

“I predict that it won’t be too long before the return of beavers is not seen as a reason to celebrate. They can be awfully troublesome…”

Alton, this is already happening in southern West Virginia. About fifteen or twenty years ago, beavers began repopulating streams in southern West Virginia. Now there are several places where they are considered pests because their dams are threatening developed areas such as subdivisions.

I personally am glad that they are coming back. I think that with a little ingenuity, ways can be found to co-exist with them even in suburbia.

By: joppa

joppa — Sat, 24 Feb 2007 02:41:31 +0000

Beavers are great ’till they gnaw down your favorite tree. One way to keep them from chewing up everything in sight is to supply cut brush to them and the will happily leave your shade trees alone.

I am surprised that they have just now made it to NYC, they have been along the Hudson for several years now, and along big rivers and tidal rivers like the Hudson they are content to have burrows under the banks or travel up creeks. They are amazing engineers.

By: swnoel

swnoel — Sat, 24 Feb 2007 01:45:07 +0000

This is great… let the flooding begin!

By: searoom

searoom — Sat, 24 Feb 2007 01:16:28 +0000

In west Baltimore Il castoro, the beaver, moved back in about five years ago. It’s been a pleasure to see them and I can’t wait until some young bucks move upstream in front of my house.

By: Lee Pierce

Lee Pierce — Sat, 24 Feb 2007 00:53:22 +0000

I live on the edge of town in NW New Mexico. We have coyotes in the woods behind us, along with Raccoons and Bald Eagles. No beavers yet but they are abundant not far away. Any resurgence of wildlife is great news.

By: Sunny

Sunny — Sat, 24 Feb 2007 00:33:44 +0000

Mother Nature has a simply awe-inspiring ability to heal herself and all who dwell upon her.

We just have to be smart enough to make it possible, then to get the heck outta the way and let it happen.

Alton, it is our responsibility (as those who have overhunted and destroyed natural habitats) to make certain that the beavers have a place to be, just as we have made certain that there are places for eagles and alligators and others that we’ve been able to help recover. The reappearance of a species into areas formerly too polluted to support life will forever be a reason to celebrate.

By: Alton Higgins

Alton Higgins — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 22:02:46 +0000

I predict that it won’t be too long before the return of beavers is not seen as a reason to celebrate. They can be awfully troublesome…

By: vaughan

vaughan — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 21:59:23 +0000

This is great news. Here in the UK we are seeing otters return to many of our rivers that had begun to get polluted, but now, thanks to conservationists, are becoming clean again.

In addition to natural dispersal, otters are also being reintroduced to many of their former haunts…

There is talk of reintroducing beavers and even wolves to the UK (both long extinct here)!

‘Pumas’ and other large cats are allegedly seen here in the wild, ‘quite often’ as I guess you will be aware. Most likely as a result of releases following the introduction of laws that outlawed the keeping of dangerous animals some years ago.

Nice site Loren, thanks.

Keith (Dorset, UK)

By: sschaper

sschaper — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 21:19:18 +0000

The beaver came back to north central Iowa in the late 70s, early 80s. The county engaged in a program of dynamiting their dams from the drainage ditches (the area used to be marsh and bog, with some islands), and possibly trapping them, and now they are gone. The county regarded them (as they do trees) as nuisances.

The coyotes are back, Dad saw wolf at the end of a field one day – or a coyote the size of a Scots collie, and a mink chased a pheasant rooster through the dining room window a couple weeks ago – twice.

By: mitchigan

mitchigan — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 20:08:47 +0000

Thanks Loren for the wildlife posts, even though they are not cryptids. We continue to see more and more instances of animals repopulating former haunts, from the beaver, eastern cougar, lynx, ivory-billed woodpecker, coyotes, wolves, etc. Many environmental groups like to continually report gloom and doom for the planet and wildlife. I think stories like the one above are more of a testament to the hard work of people and mankind making amends for past mistakes (along with certain animals adaptability). I remember seeing my first Canada goose when I was in my teens and was absolutely amazed. Now they’re as common as pigeons. Does more work need to be done? Sure. Are many animals in danger? Sure, but it’s exciting to see good news once in a while. The good news stories are out there if you look hard enough. It’s too bad they are under reported by the media to some extent. The earth is in better shape now then when I was born. I expect it to only get better in time.