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City pausing beaver relocation at Idlewild
Relocation of the family of beavers from Idlewild Lake is being paused until the spring of 2022, the City of Cranbrook announced this afternoon.
The permit window to complete the relocation, from the Ministry of Forest, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development (MFLNRORD) is set to expire on Wednesday, October 20.
The current habitat in the reservoir at Idlewild and immediately upstream remains inappropriate for providing enough sustainable food sources for the beavers. Relocating them to a more appropriate water body, with ample food sources will better ensure that they will survive long-term, the city explained in a media release.
“Idlewild is the city’s former reservoir, which was developed into a park. The reservoir is not a traditional, natural habitat for beavers – the beavers are a very recent arrival,” the city noted.
“The city understands and appreciates the very positive draw this beaver family has created around Idlewild. But to reduce the risk of flooding upstream, ensure the continued safe operation of our dam infrastructure, while ensuring the long-term well-being of the beavers, the relocation will be done but not until the spring.”
e-KNOW file photo
e-KNOW
