Coquitlam Now

Beavers were here first

Re: "Beaver trapping back on the agenda in PoCo," Wednesday, Feb. 1.

As a resident and taxpayer of Port Coquitlam, I am appalled at the city for even thinking of the possibility of reintroducing the trapping of beavers.

The city's way of thinking is that it's cheaper to trap and kill them, than it is to solve the problem by way of a mutual coexistence between animals and humans.

The flooding issue is ludicrous. I've been down to this location many times and there's never been enough water to drown an ant, let alone flood a subdivision. If the beavers are indeed building dams, then they can't be very good at it. The houses along this area next to the beaver pond are already at least six or seven feet above it. So how could even the best beaver dam of say two or three feet ever flood an area three times above that?

The city's way will only mean the eventual destruction of the beavers and all other wildlife, caught in the proverbial battle of money against everything else, where money always wins. But maybe not this time, if they just stop and think and put the animals first for a change.

This leads me to another question. Why is it that city councils allow subdivisions to be built so close to a known beaver habitat in the first place? If they must build there, then the city should be making sure nothing interferes with their existence. If the area requires structures that protect both the wildlife and the houses, then shouldn't that be done prior to buildings being built?

It's not a matter of disease or property damage, it's a matter of how we want to treat the wildlife in this province. If it takes a bit more money, then I'm sure the city could find a way to do it. I, for one, would be more than glad to donate to a fund to save wild animals.

Don't forget, the beavers were there first, long before the houses, but nobody considered them then and it's apparent that they still don't, judging by the city's way of dealing with them. Let's do something for the wildlife for a change, instead of it always being for humans. Let us save them now before there aren't any left to save.

Tim Fisher

Port Coquitlam

published on 03/10/2006