The other day, Alexis Broz, founder of wildlife rescue and rehabilitation center Wild For Life, got a call about a beaver stuck in a scary situation. She learned from the caller that the beaver had fallen into a 60-foot deep drained canal spillway and had been stuck there for days.
Wild For Life
As Broz got more information about the beaver, she learned that a wildlife control group had been called to lethally remove all of the canal’s beavers because their presence had been disrupting the passage of boats. As heartbreaking as that was for Broz to hear, she was relieved that because of this particular beaver’s predicament, she was granted permission to save him.
“Maybe falling down into this chasm actually in a way saved his life, because we would have had no power to help save him from being trapped and exterminated otherwise,” Broz told The Dodo.
As soon as Broz arrived at the scene, she spotted the tiny trail of paw prints the beaver had left in the snow before plummeting into the pit. She and a team of volunteers quickly worked to secure the animal in a carrier and hoist him out of the deep spillway.
Wild For Life
Luckily, despite his steep fall, the beaver was healthy and had only suffered a broken toe and a few minor cuts. After being stuck for several days with no access to food or water, he had a healthy appetite.
“Even though he was probably stressed out by us and nervous, he was very hungry, very dehydrated [and] was super excited to have an apple and some water before we even got him all the way up,” Broz said.
Wild For Life
Broz decided to name the beaver Erie. She got him settled into Wild For Life’s rehabilitation facility, where he’ll spend the next few months recovering from his ordeal.
Although beavers are common throughout North America, many people think of them as nuisances — but that actually couldn’t be further from the truth. They play a crucial role in many ecosystems and even help make the world a safer place for humans.
“People think that beavers cause flooding, but when they’re allowed to fully manage a wetland and manage an area, they actually prevent flooding and natural disasters,” Broz said.
Wild For Life
And while many people think the dam-building animals have to be removed from areas with lots of people, there are solutions that work to keep both humans and beavers happy.
“There are special devices we can install into the beaver dams that help humans control the water level while still letting the beavers do their thing and benefiting from all the good that they do in creating the wetland habitat without overdoing it,” Broz said.
As for Erie, Wild For Life is hoping he’ll form a bond with another beaver at the facility named Arrow. That way, when they’re both released this summer, they can start a new life together and thrive in their new wild habitat.
If you’d like to support Wild For Life, you can make a donation here. To keep up with Wild For Life, you can follow them on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. 
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