Federal Way neighbors upset over beaver killings
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FEDERAL WAY, Wash. -- Until recently, flooding in one Federal Way neighborhood had been a constant problem.The state came up with a solution, but it meant killing four beavers and upsetting many nearby residents.
The area along South 373rd Street used to have a flooding problem until the Washington State Department of Transportation built a new bridge.
Then the four beavers moved in. The beavers flooded the road, the yards and nearby Hylebos Creek, but none of that seemed to bother the neighbors.
The idea of killing the beavers did.
"It makes me sick to my stomach," said Randi Darmer. "We have really enjoyed watching the dams be built. We've been walking down there every other day and checking them out."
The beavers built two large dams along the creek, and soon the flooding threatened to tear up South 373rd and become dangerous to drivers. That's when the Department of Transportation, which owns the land, called the U.S. Department of Agriculture to set up beaver traps.
WSDOT officials say the traps did the trick, which means the beavers were killed.
"The water had backed-up to a point where it became kind of an imminent threat to creating a hazard for drivers," said WSDOT's Jeff Sawyer.
But neighbors say euthanizing the beavers is only part of the problem. When WSDOT purchased the land, they set it up to be a wildlife refuge. Neighbors now want to know why the department is killing some of that wildlife.
"I think it's hypocritical of the Department of Transportation to go out of their way to call it a wetland and call it protected," said Hannah, who lives nearby.
Washington has seen an explosion in its beaver population over the last several decades. That's partly because it's now illegal to trap the animals and partly because wearing beaver pelts has gone out of fashion.
Department of Transportation officials think it's only a matter of time before another beaver colony starts building along the creek again, which many people in the neighborhood would welcome.
As for why the beavers were killed instead of relocated, WSDOT officials say that decision was made by the Department of Agriculture.
The area along South 373rd Street used to have a flooding problem until the Washington State Department of Transportation built a new bridge.
Then the four beavers moved in. The beavers flooded the road, the yards and nearby Hylebos Creek, but none of that seemed to bother the neighbors.
The idea of killing the beavers did.
"It makes me sick to my stomach," said Randi Darmer. "We have really enjoyed watching the dams be built. We've been walking down there every other day and checking them out."
The beavers built two large dams along the creek, and soon the flooding threatened to tear up South 373rd and become dangerous to drivers. That's when the Department of Transportation, which owns the land, called the U.S. Department of Agriculture to set up beaver traps.
WSDOT officials say the traps did the trick, which means the beavers were killed.
"The water had backed-up to a point where it became kind of an imminent threat to creating a hazard for drivers," said WSDOT's Jeff Sawyer.
But neighbors say euthanizing the beavers is only part of the problem. When WSDOT purchased the land, they set it up to be a wildlife refuge. Neighbors now want to know why the department is killing some of that wildlife.
"I think it's hypocritical of the Department of Transportation to go out of their way to call it a wetland and call it protected," said Hannah, who lives nearby.
Washington has seen an explosion in its beaver population over the last several decades. That's partly because it's now illegal to trap the animals and partly because wearing beaver pelts has gone out of fashion.
Department of Transportation officials think it's only a matter of time before another beaver colony starts building along the creek again, which many people in the neighborhood would welcome.
As for why the beavers were killed instead of relocated, WSDOT officials say that decision was made by the Department of Agriculture.
Wait, wasn't it the Huskies that killed the Beavers last week?Â
"Washington has seen an explosion in its beaver population over the last several decades. That's ... partly because wearing beaver pelts has gone out of fashion."
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So, when exactly was wearing beaver pelts "in fashion?" DAMN YOU INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION!!! With your textiles in-lieu-of-beaver-pelts!!! Now, were stuck with these absurd beasts running amok acting as if they are entitled to live free in our undeveloped lands!!!
Typical government answer to a problem, just kill them...
I have no problem with Beaver removal if necessary. However for what the article describes I am surprised that they didn't leave the beavers in place and install a Clemson Beaver leveler device. They were designed and work so as to be able to keep the dams in place and still avoid flooding. Other counties in Washington state have used these devises successfully. As well as other parts of the country. http://www.clemson.edu/psapublishing/PAGES/AFW/AFW1.PDF explains more.
Go Ballard! GO BEAVERS!!!!
It's all a power trip for these over paid government workers to go out and kill an animal no one else is allowed to kill. Â Wearing beaver fur has been out of style for almost 100 years.
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They could have moved these animal to another creek somewhere else but  wanted to kill them simply as a way to exercise legal power they have which no one else does.
What the heck was that old saying about beavers and trees?
300 miles away the Lands council could have helped you install an inexpensive flow device that controlled flooding on this dam OR could added these beavers to their very significant waiting list of folks wanting beavers to help salmon and drought and relocate them. The notion that you would risk the successful salmonid habitat by destroying beavers is shocking coming from Washington state, which houses the NOAA fisheries and knows better than any where in the country why beavers are important to salmon.And birds. And wetlands. And mammals. And reptiles....
Heidi Perryman
Worth A Dam
. www.martinezbeavers.org
 @Heidi Perryman well, nice thoughts... except in this state, every wildlife problem is immediately turned over to the Department of Killing Animals.... er... Department of Wildlife...
 @tufa23:Â
Try reading the story - the Department of Agriculture - a FEDERAL department - was the one that decided the course of action.
@LocalLady @tufa23: I can just see everyone playing pass the buck before hand.
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@the unvarnished truth   Very Good!
only an idiot would be happy that beavers are building a dam near their house. We had beavers all over the place where i grow up at and they are very destructive rodents, and that's what they are just big rats. and if they was cuasing flooding on a road then more power to them for killing them.
........" and partly because wearing beaver pelts have gone out of fashion." They must mean outside of Federal Way.
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If they hadn't gotten them out of there the same people would have sues the state for not removing them.
Yes, they're wetlands, and wildlife are supposed to be protected, but it's not only the Beavers, but also the Wolves, Coyotes, etc.
Guess this country doesn't want any type of wildlife, only the scumbag criminals - they don't kill them!
There are idiots everywhere and they tend to be the most vocal. I'll bet that most residents were glad that these giant rodents were gone.
 @LockesChild "idiot" = everybody who doesn't see things the way you do. you point, but three are pointing back at yourself...
Strange, doesn't make sense in any case. Republic had sanitary water supply issues, the kind that affects the health of human beings, still does as far as I know, at least once a year because of beavers, yet government protected the beavers. In this case they kill the beavers. At times nothing makes sense. Bears, wolves, beavers.
For those of you who don't know what a Beaver is beside the photo in this story and the zoo. Beavers are destructive little critters. I have a pair living on my property. Not much difference between a Beaver and a Mole except a Beaver will undermine large enough for a man to fall in. Only thing that saved me was the two by four I had strapped to my back. :-O
 @Grumpa It sounds like the critters that are burrowing on your property are
classified as Mountain Beavers(not the North American Beaver, but they are a large
rodent). I have a problem with Mountain Beavers near my property as they eat the
roots of trees and cause the trees to die. They do not build dams. They also do
not have large flat tails like the North American Beaver.
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The North American Beaver is the type that is referenced in the article actually
make dams, then build their homes in the ponds upstream from the dams.
They actually cut trees down by gnawing through them and the use the trees
for their dams and hut, in addition to the trees being the source of much of
their diet.
I had some Beaver jokes ready to roll but nevermind. Killing them just sucks, no call for that.
Couldn't take the Beavers to a zoo?
Why couldn't you trap and relocate them? In addition you should be sued for killing wildlife in a declared wildlife refuge. You people have the brains the size of peanuts... :(