HEADLINE: WILDLIFE ADVOCATES PLAN STRATEGY TO FIGHT NORFOLK BEAVER TRAPPING
Published: Friday, January 22, 1993
Section: Local
Page: C5
The Associated Press

Wildlife advocates are planning to fight a City Council decision that allows lethal trapping to destroy colonies of beavers at two city lakes. Save the Beavers, a quickly assembled group trying to stop the killing of beavers at Lake Whitehurst and Lake Wright, will meet tonight to hear from wildlife expert Guy Hodge of the Humane Society of the United States and to discuss their strategy.

Michael Rau, a member of Wildlife Response Inc., said opponents of the trapping policy may go to court to stop the practice. Rau said he hand-delivered a letter offering alternatives to city officials before Tuesday's council meeting where the subject was discussed, but got no answer.

City officials ``did not tell us there would be any discussion of the beavers Tuesday'' when the council allowed the trapping policy to continue, said Penny Vaughan, another Wildlife Response member.

``We told the city that we would pick up the expense of moving the beavers if necessary, although we would prefer to leave them in the lakes,'' Vaughan said. ``We have found private land for them.''

The Nature Conservancy, which has bought thousands of acres in Hampton Roads for conservation, will consider taking the beavers, Rau said.

Shoreline residents complained to the city last fall about trees apparently toppled by beavers.

Copyright 1993, Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.

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