Sparks Seeks Humane Ways To Manage Beavers

If you know how to get rid of beavers, without killing them, the Nevada city of Sparks wants to hear from you.

The city says it's seeing a lot more beavers along its storm drainage system, likely because of the drought. And those beavers are doing what you'd expect them to be doing - building dams.   

"The dams that the beavers have created have presented a significant public safety problem for us," says Adam Mayberry with the city.

He says those damns have the potential to create serious flooding when a heavy storm hits.

Last month, the Nevada Department of Wildlife issued the city a permit to trap the beavers underwater which ends up killing them.

"Some have questioned why the trapping is done underwater," says Mayberry. "Well if we put the traps above ground, that could increase the potential of trapping a domestic pet or even hurting a small child. So it certainly does present us some challenges."

Mayberry says just weeks after getting the permit, the city stopped.

"We felt, just going forward, that we probably ought to look at a more humane way to tackle the problem," says Mayberry.

He says trapping and relocating the beavers is not an option because beavers are territorial and there are concerns about spreading disease.

Mayberry is asking anyone with an expertise on managing beavers to contact the city of Sparks at (775) 353-5555 and ask for Ron Korman.