Langley Advance

April 17, 2007 08:12 AM

Wildlife: Beaver trapping on agenda for local government meeting

The Township will try again to get Victoria to change beaver trapping regulations.

by Matthew Claxton

Langley Township will look for support in changing the way beavers are trapped at next month's meeting of Lower Mainland councils.

The annual meeting of the Lower Mainland Local Goverment Association (LMLGA) will be held in Whistler from May 9 to 11.

A resolution from the Township asks that the provincial Ministry of the Environment take a second look at the way beavers can be trapped in B.C.

Currently, the Township traps about 30 beavers every year, when they become a problem by blocking drainage or flooding homes.

Lethal traps are used.

The Township once trapped them alive and released them into other areas, but that was blocked by the ministry several years ago.

According to the ministry, there were too many beavers in the release areas, and the newly introduced beavers were simply being abandoned to starve to death slowly.

Township Councillor Jordan Bateman welcomed the opportunity to get the LMLGA behind the push for better beaver treatment.

"There are things you need a larger voice to get addressed, and this is one," he said.

The provincial government typically responds to every resolution that passes at an LMLGA meeting, at least reviewing the regulation, Bateman noted.

He said he wants the Township to have the maximum flexibility to treat animals humanely.

published on 04/17/2007