I noticed a post on Facebook in an Andover interest group. Some ignorant Karen is asking all her friends to write to the Andover conservation commissions to ask them to disallow the trapping of beaver. I'm sharing the text of her post. If you live in or around Andover, please email the conservation commission at [email protected] before close of business Monday 5/2 to register your support for trapping.
Next week Andover Conservation Committee agenda has Beaver Trapping - in Discussion Items.
State Law requires trapped beavers cannot be relocated, they must be killed. After trapping season, which ends April 15 --contact is through the Board of Health and application is for 10-day Emergency Permit for a licensed hunter to use a Conibear trap.
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I am extremely disappointed to see this as a perceived solution from 4) main points:
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- Conibear traps are supposed to kill animals instantly by snapping the spinal column at the base of the neck. However, traditional Conibear traps kill less than 15% of trapped animals quickly, and more than 40% die slow, painful deaths as their abdomens, heads, or other body parts are crushed. https://www.nyshumane.org/presmsg-conibear-traps-are.../
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- MSPCA OPPOSES the use of trapping and considers the Conibear trap to not only inhumane, but dangerous to PETS and other species of wildlife. Remember a Beaver weighs -- 40 to 60 POUNDS. https://www.mspca.org/animal_protection/wildlife-trapping/
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- This permit issued, is a 10 day trapping and allows an UNLIMITED amount of Beavers, all age ranges - be killed. https://www.mass.gov/.../a-citizens-guide-to.../download
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- This is baby season. The resulting orphan beaver babies just born March/April – are still in the den. If not found, are left to starve to death.
Most importantly:
Trapping does not reduce human-beaver conflicts. When resident beavers are removed --- other beavers promptly move in, and the cycle begins again.
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There are those who believe trapping manages Wildlife. This is incorrect. Particularly with Beavers which are self-regulating,
Please read MSPCA statement: https://www.mspca.org/animal_protection/beaver-population/
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Andover is working with “Beaver solutions” a company that DOES provide humane solutions. My understanding is that a beaver deceiver pipe has been in place for the last 7 years; however, it is need of replacement. A second pipe will be added to address higher water during large storm elevations. https://www.beaversolutions.com/
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There MUST be a way to fix and add the pipe solutions without killing all the Beavers and offspring.
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MA has strict wetland laws which homeowners and developers must abide in protection of this precious resource. Including even removing/disturbing vegetation in and around wetland. It doesn't make sense to me why the most important resource we have of wetlands - Beavers, are not protected as well.
https://www.mspca.org/animal_protection/about-beavers/
https://www.mspca.org/animal_protection/wildlife-trapping/
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