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But when city staff arrived in the morning, they found the beavers had plugged the bypass pipe, which led to raised water levels in the creek and in the pipe.

“Despite all of our efforts to exclude the last beaver from the pipe safely — which was the desired outcome of everyone involved — unfortunately, the kit was found dead inside the trap, due to the unexpected increase in the water level,” said Jeff Moi, general manager of engineering and operations. “We are deeply saddened by this outcome. It is the opposite of what we had all hoped for.”

The other beavers were observed in the creek. The city said they will continue to monitor the beavers.

The Fur-Bearers said some Port Moody residents had asked for them to work with city officials on how best to deal with the beavers living in Pigeon Creek, as they have “extensive experience and success working with municipalities to mitigate and prevent infrastructure concerns stemming from beaver activity.”

According to the group, the city consulted with them in February 2017 about tree protection, but declined their help when it came to the beavers in Pigeon Creek.

“There is absolutely no reason that any of these beavers had to die what I can only imagine was a terrifying death to protect this culvert,” the Fur-Bearers’ Adrian Nelson said in a statement. “We have worked with communities all over British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario, and trained with North America’s leaders and innovators in non-lethal beaver management. It is appalling to me that the City of Port Moody allowed for this to happen.”

According to Nelson, the beavers were “beloved” by the local community. Their presence had “brought the community together, with residents lining up to watch them work on their dens and kits learn to swim.”

“The compassionate people of Port Moody want to be enjoying the holiday season with their families, not worrying that preventable deaths are occurring in their neighbourhoods,” Nelson said. “Sadly, the beaver family won’t have that option this year.”

pjohnston@postmedia.com

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