Return of the Once-Rare Beaver? Not in My Yard. (09 June 2009) New York Times

[main idea] The populations of Castor canadensis, the beaver,  have grown so numerous as to become a nuisance species in many communities. [supporting detail] An engineer for the town of Lexington Connecticut, David Pavlik, sites the problems beavers have caused in his town, including flooding the sanitary sewers. [supporting detail] A biologist with the Connecticut Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, Laura Hajduk, has little comfort to offer, as moving beavers only opens room for new individuals to move in and breaches in their dams are repaired within a day. [supporting detail] This problem with recovered species becoming pests is not limited to C. canadensis, but also includes alligators in Florida, pelicans in Louisiana, and mountain lions in California. [(extra) supporting detail] In the case of the beaver, as it is a keystone species, other populations of concern have increased in numbers, including coyotes, black bears, moose, and wild turkeys, which have caused suburban animal-people confrontations. [(extra) supporting detail] In the town of Lexington, the beaver dam raises the water level, allowing seepage into the sewers, requiring the town to treat the additional water, increasing their cost. [(extra) supporting detail] Beavers are beneficial for the environment, including creating habitat for game birds and endangered species and flood control, especially during spring rains and snowmelt. [conclusion] The main advice about how to deal with the beavers is to reduce the damage they cause and just deal with their presence.

[reader's response] I was peripherally aware of the damage beavers can cause, although I did not realize it could be to such a great extent. I know I have been told in one of my past science experiences (a class, workshop, or informal learning experience) that beavers are genetically programmed to respond to the sound of running water and to try to stop it; hence their affinity for stopping flowing water through breaches in their dams and in culverts (which must echo, increasing the noise and perhaps the response). I am unaware of beavers in Florida, but easily found a reference to their return (Beavers of Florida). My favorite beaver reference is a supposed correspondence between a landowner and the state about an unsafe and non-permitted dam on his property - which is, of course, a beaver dam and over which he has no control. It is unfortunate that they are considered a nuisance species in many areas, since they are so important to the survival of many aquatic species.