This quote from Lisa White’s story in today’s Contra Costa Times:

“Mary Tappel, an environmental scientist who has a long history of helping communities manage beaver populations, said it appears the Martinez beavers have practically depleted the creek banks of their favorite foods and seem to be moving downstream. ‘Beavers always move,’ she said, adding that city leaders should not believe they can keep the animals in the location in the creek where they have built their dam.”
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Your presence is requested to assist the Alhambra Creek Beavers in Martinez

Please join other beaver lovers when the Beaver subcommittee report will be presented to the full Martinez City Council for review and possible vote.

WHY: Your beavers need you. The City Council may decide to make a decision about the beavers at this meeting. Trap and relocate the beavers to a place where they may not survive? Let them stay where they are? Other? The beavers need your support!
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Hey beaver lovers, I just received the following update on the status of the beaver family that lives in the downtown Martinez (CA) area of Alhambra Creek.

Apparently the plight of the Martinez Beavers, made famous through YouTube videos, national news outlets and this very blog you are reading, still hangs in the balance.

Check this out:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
In response to overwhelming political and special interest pressures to relocate the beavers, and out of a sincere desire to create workable solutions that allow for coexistence, “Worth A Dam,” an association under the umbrella of Land4Urban Wildlife has been formed.

MARTINEZ, California — Worth A Dam (http://www.martinezbeavers.com) — Worth A Dam, hosted by the 501(c) Land4Urban Wildlife and headed up by Heidi Perryman, will tackle the ongoing challenges of beaver coexistence. The non-profit will act as the fulcrum between City Officials/Staff and community volunteers. The first order of business will be the redesign of the existing Martinez Beavers Web site to allow for individual contributions to projects such as willow tree plantings.

“Ultimately, though, our charter hinges on the outcome of the City Council vote to either keep or evict the beavers,” says Perryman. The City Council meeting on April 2 is the date being floated for that final vote.

As if to emphasize Ms. Perryman’s concern: in an e-mail response regarding publicity for the upcoming meeting, Martinez City Council Member, Lara DeLaney wrote, “ … we will need all the public support we can get to pressure those members of the Council who are leaning (strongly) toward removal/relocation … ” Those members referred to are Mayor Rob Schroder, Council Member Janet Kennedy and Council Member Mike Menesini.

While it appears that the vote will fall on the side of removal/relocation of the beavers, Ms. Perryman is still optimistic about the beavers’ fate.

“The Sierra Club strongly opposes any attempts to relocate or euthanize the beavers that have colonized the downtown area of Alhambra Creek, as well as any attempts to irreparably harm their lodge, dam, and surrounding habitat,” Perryman said. “Clearly a good many of you have already embraced the idea of stewardship concerning these animals. That can easily broaden into a larger ecological awareness that creates personal and civic pride in living in harmony with nature.”

Noting a recent mention by the San Francisco Examiner which characterized November’s meeting as a ‘“grand protest,” Ms. Perryman acknowledges the upcoming City Council meeting on April 2 needs an even greater number of attendees.

“Cheryl Reynolds just shot a picture of what appears to be a very pregnant female beaver. Even if we were going to relocate them, the experts agree that fall would be a much safer time.”

You can see the pregnant beaver photo at http://martinezbeavers.com/wordpress/

ABOUT WORTH A DAM
Mission statement: Maintaining the Martinez beavers through responsible stewardship, creative problem-solving, community education and involvement.

Anyone who wants the beavers to stay where they are in Alhambra Creek should obviously attend that very important April 2 Martinez City Council meeting. They need all the support they can get.

Please add your comments or ideas about the beavers below. /Gary

On Feb. 2, an e-mail from Bob Carlton of Walnut Creek in my column in the Contra Costa Times mentioned he had seen a “huge cage in the back of a city truck” one day when he went to observe the Martinez beavers and the beaver dam. I responded, “kind of makes you wonder, doesn’t it?” The inference being that the cage might have been there for the beavers. (There’s been concern in some areas that the city might relocate the beavers.)

WRONG!

I received this e-mail from Joe Becker of Martinez on Thursday (Feb. 7):

Dear Gary:
It was just brought to my attention that a City Employee and a City truck were seen at the dam with a huge cage in the back of the truck, according to the blogs in last Sunday’s paper. Just for everybody’s information, that was my personal truck with my dog carrier for my Lab. I was just driving by when I noticed fellow crew members working on the dam when I stopped to see them.

Whoever made the comment about my truck and cage needs to grow up. I have attached a picture of my truck and cage, and it is very clear that the truck (it has no city markings /Gary) does not belong to the City. Maybe Mr. Carlton should get his eyes checked. I do not understand why we, the maintenance crews, are being harassed. We have done everything to help with “Beaver Lovers, Haters, merchants, etc.” We are just doing what we are told. People need to get their facts before they make their comments, and before they are in print.
Joe Becker, City of Martinez, Maintenance Lead Worker

Sorry, Joe! /Gary

Here’s an e-mail I received from the Lindsay Wildlife Museum on the condition of the immature male beaver that was rescued from the banks of Alhambra Creek in downtown Martinez Thursday afternoon and taken to the museum’s Wildlife Hospital for care:

January 3, 2008, 5:30 p.m.
At about 2 p.m. this afternoon, Contra Costa Animal Services brought an immature, male beaver from downtown Martinez to Lindsay Wildlife Museum.

This beaver had been reported to be exhibiting unusual behaviors including swimming in circles and bumping into things in the water. The beaver attempted to get out of the creek and was reportedly helped out by a bystander. The animal control officer who picked up the beaver noted that it did not attempt to get away, appeared weak and lethargic and could not stand.

Dr. Nancy Anderson, the museum’s veterinarian examined the beaver this afternoon including taking radiographs and blood samples. There were no obvious physical wounds or trauma. The beaver may have a kidney problem and has a mild infection. The exam also showed a nervous system disease that is most likely centered on the right side of the beaver’s brain. The animal is also blind.

The beaver is receiving antibiotics, anti-inflammatory medication and fluids. Blood samples were sent to a diagnostic lab for additional tests. Those results should be back in the next two days.

The beaver’s prognosis is extremely guarded. Any wild animal that is this weak with a serious underlying disease has a slim chance of survival. However, the animal will continue to receive medical care and we hope that further diagnostic testing will help determine an effective treatment.
Sherrill Cook, Director, External Affairs, Lindsay Wildlife Museum

Here’s another pertinent e-mail from Heidi Perryman of the Martinez beaver people:

Gary: Lots of talk about the injured beaver in Martinez, just wanted to check in and let you know that we have always had one kit with a kind of “swimming limp,” which has suggested a neurological condition.

It’s possible that the stress of the night exacerbated this, and I let  the Lindsay Museum know while he was being examined. There is no reason a healthy beaver would have been out poking around that cage, and its doubtful that this caused his injury. Skip Lisle (Vermont beaver expert installing a water flow device in the beaver dam/Gary) feels sick about this, as do I, who have been worried about that little one since the beginning. …

Honestly the mood yesterday was so hopeful, and the City did everything as Skip recommended. Skip is very well respected by every beaver expert I’ve spoken too. Updates will be available as I get them on the http://www.martinezbeavers.com Web page.
Thanks gary, Heidi

Dear readers:
I’ll keep you updated here as I hear anything new about the sick beaver. You can also monitor the Martinez beavers Web site above. They are posting a lot of up-to-date information on things that are going on with the beaver dam and the beavers. If you have any comments, or information to add about the beavers you can do so by clicking on “add a comment” below. Thanks. /gary

SOME OF THE ANIMAL-RELATED THINGS HAPPENING IN 2008:

Senator Carole Migden and former Assemblyman Joe Nation have endorsed a letter asking U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer, U.S. Senator Diane Feinstein and U.S. Representative Lynn Woolsey to put a moratorium on deer killing at Point Reyes National Seashore until 2010. The National Park Service has hired a Connecticut-based group, White Buffalo, Inc., to kill non-native deer in the park. There are an estimated 950 European fallow deer and 250 Axis deer in the park. The NPS claims the non-native deer are competing with the native black-tailed deer. More at: http://www.solaswebdesign.net/wordpress/?cat=5

The issue of feral cats vs. wild birds is rearing its ugly head in Benicia. In an attempt to balance the needs of feral (wild) cats with a diverse and sensitive wild bird population, city officials and local animal advocates are crafting new regulations for undomesticated felines. The cat people want to set up trap-spay/neuter-release programs and feed cat colonies throughout Benicia. Local bird lovers say this conflicts with the protection of local wildlife because the cats will eat the birds. This cat fight isn’t going to end anytime soon, if ever. The full story: http://www.contracostatimes.com/news/ci_7861999?nclick_check=1

Bay Area conservation groups are launching an interesting program in 2008 to reconnect residents with the natural resources and values of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA) with the first-ever “GGNRA Endangered Species Big Year. The year-long event is aimed at connecting GGNRA visitors with the 33 endangered species found in the park, through individual exploration and guided expeditions, and to encourage participation in conservation action items that will prevent species from going extinct. You can find out more at http://www.ggnrabigyear.org

Speaking of the Martinez beavers — A special flow device is expected to be installed in the Martinez beaver dam this week, hopefully before the BIG rains that are expected this weekend. This device is supposed to control the water level behind the dam to keep Alhambra Creek from flooding. Let’s hope they get it installed before the rain … and let’s hope that it works. You can keep an eye on things at http://www.martinezbeavers.com

This is just a tiny sampling of all the animal-related activities that will be going on in 2008 around the country and the world. You can find out more at the Web sites of some of the more active animal-protection organizations:

The Humane Society of the United States: http://www.hsus.org

Defenders of Wildlife: http: //www.defenders.org

National Wildlife Federation: http://www.nwf.org/wildlife

Center for Biological Diversity: http://www.biologicaldiversity.org

ASPCA: http://www.aspca.org

Just one New Year resolution:
Figure out a way to take my couch pillow back from the cats so I can watch TV. /gary

Congratulations to everyone who worked together to save the beaver family.

** Thanks to Martinez Mayor Rob Schroder who contacted Fish and Game Commissioner Jim Kellogg, a Contra Costa resident, and asked for help to save the beaver family.

** Thanks to Jim Kellogg and the California Department of Fish and Game for making a special (and compassionate) exception in this situation, and issuing Martinez a relocation permit for the beavers so they can be moved to a new area … instead of a depredation permit to kill them.

** Thanks to the Lindsay Wildlife Museum in Walnut Creek for stepping forward to volunteer their expert wildlife rescue and rehabilitation services to help the beavers. Plans, reportedly, are for them to carefully trap the beaver family and quarantine them and make sure they’re healthy before later releasing them in an area approved by the state.

** And a very special thanks to the huge number of Martinez residents and others from throughout the Bay Area and beyond for standing up for the beaver family and refusing to allow them to be killed.

This was a community problem and everyone has worked together to come up with a community solution that shows our children that we shouldn’t just kill creatures that get in our way.

Nice going, everyone. Go beavers!

If you care about the Martinez beaver family, please attend the Martinez City Council meeting.
The meeting is 7 p.m. Wednesday evening, Nov. 7, at the Martinez City Hall, 525 Henrietta Street, off Alhambra Ave.

The City Council is threatening to kill the beaver family because of concern that their dam will back up the water in Alhambra Creek and cause flooding to the downtown area.

There are other solutions besides killing these creatures.

Check out this video:
http://www.bayareanewsgroup.com/multimedia/cct/2007/video/mtzbeaver_1105

Attend this week’s Martinez City Council meeting and tell them how you feel.
The meeting is this Wednesday, Nov. 7, at 7 p.m. at the Martinez City Hall, 525 Henrietta Street, off Alhambra Ave., Martinez.

The City Council is threatening to have the beavers killed because they say their dam could potentially cause flooding in downtown Martinez.

Death doesn’t have to be the only solution. There are endless other possibilities.

Here are just a few:

If there’s a problem with the beaver dam across Alhambra Creek being too high and risking a flood, lower the height of the dam.

If the dam absolutely has to go, then remove the dam and leave the beavers alone. I’m sure there are enough Martinez residents who care about the beavers who would be willing to form a team to keep the beaver dam at safe levels.

If the beavers absolutely have to be removed from the creek, why is killing them the only answer? Surely there must be ONE slough in the Delta that doesn’t have beavers. Relocate them to that spot. Why does the Department of Fish and Game, an organization that should be protecting our native wildlife, only issue depredation permits to kill local wildlife?

Any zoos like to have some beavers for display? After allowing the beavers to exist for a year in the creek, until all the local children (and their families!) have come to love them and adopt them as their local beaver family, the City Council could at least form a committee of council members and local citizens, and beaver experts … to try and come up with a more humane way of dealing with this problem.

Not just … “OOPS, it’s that beaver family again. Time to kill them.

What kind of message is this sending to our children?

If all this bothers you, you should attend Wednesday’s City Council meeting and let them know how you feel.

Have a look at the beaver family: