Since the summer, local health boards and conservation departments have been put in charge of beaver control. As a result, there have been several seminars and workshops hosted in the area to help local officials understand their new roles. It's going to be a frustrating problem, I think, for all of us. Mrs. Gaiero said the beaver near her restaurant does such a good job that it creates a pond in her parking lot where ducks often float around. She said the parking lot has been ruined and people cannot walk or park where the flooding occurs.
Beavers live in burrows in stream banks or lodges of mud, stones and tree branches.
They build dams to cause water backup, allowing them to store food and keep entrances to their homes under water. The sub-surface homes protect them from predators. Health officials said they aren't sure yet if the beaver dam it is a health and safety issue, Ms. Leone said. The first step is to figure out whose land the beaver is on, she said. Mrs. Gaiero has not seen the beaver herself, but other workers have seen it on a piece of land near the restaurant, she said.