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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Three beavers that had been causing havoc around Niven Lake have been relocated outside the city, a renewable resource officer said.

Last month, a property owner living adjacent to the lake compared the damage caused by the critters to "Vietnam" and attempts by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (ENR) to trap them proved futile.

Interference with the traps, by way of rocks and sticks, meant they were often found set off in the morning. Mike Lang, who claims to have lost more than 100 trees because of beavers, used chicken wire around his property as a deterrent but the beavers still found a way through.

Mayor Gord Van Tighem said the beavers were moved "far enough that they'll never cause damage there again."

In fact, they were taken 25 to 30 km outside of Yellowknife to a pond by ENR officer Adrian Lizotte.

"The first beaver was caught on May 22 and driven out of town," Lizotte said.

When the trap was reset, the second beaver was caught the day after and also taken to the same pond.

With the problem seemingly solved, the traps were removed but another complaint was made on June 13.

A third beaver was caught that night and moved the day after to a different pond, roughly five kilometres farther than the last one.

"Beavers are notoriously territorial," said Lizotte.

Van Tighem said some, but not all, property owners in the area had taken measures to ensure that beavers wouldn't damage their properties. "It's up to them to protect their trees," he said.

No complaints have been registered in the past week, said Lizotte.

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