Massachusetts Governor Steps in to Save Nibi the Beaver
A beaver in Massachusetts has been granted a stay – at a comfy animal shelter – by Governor Maura Healy, who intervened when a court was about to decide whether to exile the little mammal to the wild. The 2-year-old “Nibi” has been in the care of the Newhouse Wildlife Rescue in Chelmsford since it was just a few days old, when it was found alone by a roadside.
The animal rescue took in the orphan and attempted to rehabilitate the beaver and ready her for life in the wild, but efforts to reunite her with nearby beavers (who might have been her parents) were unsuccessful, as were subsequent attempts to get her to bond with other beavers. So Nibi instead became a darling of the rescue center and a social media “diva.”
Still, the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife) said the beaver had to be let loose in the wild per state law, pressing its case in a court hearing this week. A judge was about to decide the beaver’s fate when the governor stepped in.
“Nibi has captured the hearts of many of our residents, mine included,” said Healey. “We’re excited to share that we have issued a permit for Nibi to remain in Newhouse’s care, continuing to educate the public about this important species.”
Jane Newhouse, the rescue group’s founder and president, said Nibi was better off in civilization. “She loves her life here. She’s spoiled rotten, and she’s got lots of room to run around and her own little pond, all the food, fruit, veggies, nuts, berries she wants.”
Nibi will have to earn her keep as an “educational beaver,” in which she will visit schools, libraries, and town halls to teach the public about beavers. As a keystone species, a beaver’s signature trait – damming rivers and streams – is extremely important for creating and maintaining healthy wetlands that support all kinds of flora and fauna, and also help prevent flooding during big storms. Beavers are North America’s largest native rodents, weighing up to 80 pounds and reaching three feet long as adults.
Photo credit: Newhouse Wildlife Rescue
