West Seattle Beaver
April 9, 2024
Beavers (Castor canadensis) have been resilient stewards of North American wetlands for millennia.
Historical records suggest that much of the continent was once covered in beaver meadow-complexes: biodiverse mosaics of shallow ponds, braided stream channels, riparian woodlands, and fertile meadows created solely by beavers. Although they hold sacred status in many indigenous cultures, European demand for beaver pelts led to exhaustive trapping that nearly drove this species to extinction. In the past few decades, conservation efforts have enabled beavers to return to many river corridors across their former range where they deftly reclaimed their natural role as wetland engineers.
Even though the value of beaver dams has become common knowledge, conflicts with humans still occur. For one thing, much of their former territory has been replaced by development; beavers can be regarded as a nuisance when they block culverts and flood these areas. Infrastructure and vehicles also hinder young beavers who must leave the safety of their natal lodges in search of new homes.
Last month, concerned residents of West Seattle encountered one such beaver in an alley just one block from Alki Beach. Although there is suitable habitat in nearby creeks that drain into the Duwamish River, this young individual had probably just left that area and was heading in the wrong direction of Puget Sound. Fearing it may have been struck by a vehicle or suffered from saltwater toxicity, an officer from a local agency brought the disoriented animal to PAWS Wildlife Rehabilitation Center for specialized care.
The PAWS team examined the beaver and performed diagnostics, confirming her age but otherwise finding no abnormalities. The wildlife rehabilitators ensured she had plenty of fresh branches to gnaw on while Anthony Denice, the center’s Wildlife Naturalist, worked with state biologists to find a better home for this wandering individual.
Abel Eckhardt, the Stewardship Director of the Vashon-Maury Land Trust, suggested releasing her into an abandoned beaver pond on Vashon Island. The wetland had been expanded by a lone adult beaver years ago but was now vacant. Other dispersal-age beavers have been spotted in the same corridor, giving this subadult female a good chance at finding a mate! With Abel’s help, the PAWS team released this magnificent individual into her new fixer-upper home just days after her initial rescue.