Spring Break
Plan to ban beaver traps is short-sighted
George Maynard
Issue date: 3/30/09 Section: Commentary
When trapping animals is mentioned, many people think about the Disney movies or children's books, which portray trappers as evil people who only want to hurt animals with giant, toothy traps. In light of a legislative proposal to ban leg-hold and body gripping traps in Connecticut, which make instant kills, it is important for people to understand the ecological and societal impacts of banning trapping in our state.
First and foremost, there are few natural predators of beavers here in Connecticut because of the density of the human population. Coyotes, bobcats, and birds of prey feed on young beavers, but adult beavers are large enough to defend themselves and are usually left alone. Thus, trappers are one of the only sources of adult beaver mortality besides the occasional road kill or old age.
If trappers are removed from the equation, beaver populations will skyrocket all around the state. We need only look to our animal-friendly neighbors to the north to see how this works. In 1994, the beaver population in Massachusetts was estimated at approximately 23,000. In 1996, the animal-rights movement successfully promoted a ban on leg-hold and body-gripping traps. By the year 2000, the beaver population in Massachusetts had more than tripled, to an estimated 70,000.
"So what?" you might ask. Who cares if there are a lot of beavers? Aren't more animals better for the environment? The answer to this question from anyone who understands basic ecology should be a resounding "no."
Obviously animal populations should not be driven down to the brink of extinction. Everyone understands that. What some people fail to understand is that high densities of animals, like high densities of humans, create problems. For example, the large volume of geese using Mirror Lake contributes significantly to the high levels of nutrients in the water, which cause algae blooms.
Large populations of beavers cause problems of a whole different magnitude. The well fields of Sterling, Mass., are located close to the Stillwater River. Prior to the ban on leg-hold and body gripping traps, beavers were never a problem on the river. By 1999, however, 17 beaver dams were built less than four miles downstream of the well fields. These aren't small structures we're talking about either. One dam - less than 500 yards from the wells - was over five feet tall and nearly 100 yards wide.
First and foremost, there are few natural predators of beavers here in Connecticut because of the density of the human population. Coyotes, bobcats, and birds of prey feed on young beavers, but adult beavers are large enough to defend themselves and are usually left alone. Thus, trappers are one of the only sources of adult beaver mortality besides the occasional road kill or old age.
If trappers are removed from the equation, beaver populations will skyrocket all around the state. We need only look to our animal-friendly neighbors to the north to see how this works. In 1994, the beaver population in Massachusetts was estimated at approximately 23,000. In 1996, the animal-rights movement successfully promoted a ban on leg-hold and body-gripping traps. By the year 2000, the beaver population in Massachusetts had more than tripled, to an estimated 70,000.
"So what?" you might ask. Who cares if there are a lot of beavers? Aren't more animals better for the environment? The answer to this question from anyone who understands basic ecology should be a resounding "no."
Obviously animal populations should not be driven down to the brink of extinction. Everyone understands that. What some people fail to understand is that high densities of animals, like high densities of humans, create problems. For example, the large volume of geese using Mirror Lake contributes significantly to the high levels of nutrients in the water, which cause algae blooms.
Large populations of beavers cause problems of a whole different magnitude. The well fields of Sterling, Mass., are located close to the Stillwater River. Prior to the ban on leg-hold and body gripping traps, beavers were never a problem on the river. By 1999, however, 17 beaver dams were built less than four miles downstream of the well fields. These aren't small structures we're talking about either. One dam - less than 500 yards from the wells - was over five feet tall and nearly 100 yards wide.
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berk
Herb Bergquist
posted 9/08/09 @ 10:31 AM EST
Excellent commentary and right on the mark. Being from Massachusetts, I am all too familiar with beaver related problems and the "animal rights" culture that has been fostered for many years by the MSPCA and HSUS. (Continued…)
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