Chalk up a win for a group of beavers on Pender Island – for now.

Parks Canada says a plan to cull beavers on the Southern Gulf Island this week has been placed on hold after it drew widespread condemnation from residents and wildlife activists.

The controversy began when beavers started to build dams in Greenburn Lake on South Pender Island, putting a man-made dam at risk in an area maintained by Parks Canada.

The organization put up a notice at the lake last week saying it would move forward with euthanizing the beavers because their dam was blocking the outflow of water from the man-made dam.

People on Pender Island and beyond voiced their opposition to the cull and began organizing a protest.

In a statement issued Wednesday, Parks Canada said it has put the plan on hold indefinitely "until all reasonable alternatives" have been looked at.

"Although euthanizing the beavers appears to be one of the few remaining options for managing this public safety risk, Parks Canada understands the concern within the community about this potential course of action," it said.

"Parks Canada is currently engaging experts to explore the option of installing specialized equipment to allow water to flow unobstructed past the beaver dam."

The organization said it has looked into relocating the animals, but it's not a viable option because the animals are territorial and moving them could negatively impact other wildlife.