Recently, two beavers have moved into Beebe Lake. The first beaver was spotted by Noah Brinkman ’28 on March 16th. The beaver has reportedly spent much of its time resting on the debris under Sackett Bridge. While only one beaver was initially spotted, on March 26th, another beaver was spotted by Brinkman.
Some early signs of a dam were seen by Isabella Hackett ’26. Dams are typically considered concerns due to their ability to cause flooding and alter natural water flow patterns. In response to the beaver’s presence, the Cornell Botanic Gardens has decided to kill it. While relocating beavers is illegal in New York, the Gardens claim the beaver is injured and therefore needs to be euthanized. However, both Hackett and Brinkman noted that the animal is seemingly uninjured. A separate source, David Isham ’28 stated that there were no “visible signs of injury on any of the beavers.” The beavers were seen swimming around the lake as late as March 26th. Images of the beaver on the Cornell Naturalists GroupMe corroborate this story. It is not known if the Gardens has made plans regarding the second beaver.
Hackett stated that an alternative to euthanasia would be to implement flow devices. The device would support a proper water level and allow the beaver to continue living in Beebe. Killing the beaver is a short-term solution, and more beavers are likely to move in even if the current rodent residents of Beebe Lake are removed. Hackett suggests a flow device for a long-term, low-maintenance, and sustainable solution that would benefit both beavers and humans. This solution has been previously implemented by Cornell Lab of Ornithology with success.
The beavers are still reportedly alive, and the Botanic Gardens is taking steps to handle its situation. As Cornell is a school known for its sustainability and conservation efforts, their management of this could shed light on the practical implementation of these values.
