It looks like the beavers in Holliston Reservoir are doomed

[Ian David]

Red tape may seal beavers' fate
By Joyce Kelly/Daily News staff
GHS
Fri Nov 09, 2007, 01:13 AM EST

HOLLISTON -

Chances of evading a death trap look slim for the Bogastow Brook beavers.

Water commissioners Wednesday night agreed to try saving the beavers, which the state deemed a public health threat in September, by seeking help from the Massachusetts Audubon Society and the Animal Rescue League.

The state Department of Environmental Protection is advising the town to immediately remove the beavers, which commonly carry two life-threatening parasites, giardia lamblia and cryptosporidium, and their dam.

The animals' proximity to a public drinking water source, Well No. 5, off Central Street, poses an immediate threat to the water supply and public health.

But using lethal traps appears to be the only way to remove the beavers, said Water Department Superintendent Ron Sharpin, since transporting them is illegal.

More:
http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/homepage/x912832506

[YankeyMCC]

1. Beavers, their fall and rise are very

representative of how European methods of 'managing' the ecology in New England that were imposed since European colonization. Now that they are making a come back it's really a shame we have not matured enough to know how to 'manage' or 'not-manage' the ecology as effectively as it was managed prior to European colonization - of course with the increased population density we can't always use the same methods but we should've learned by now enough to rise about the level of incompetence that's going to cause these animals their lives.