Beavers in Laramie’s LaPrele Park to be Trapped, Relocated

Professionals will soon begin trapping and relocating beavers that have been damaging the Spring Creek channel in LaPrele Park.

"We're taking the precautionary measures of having those beavers relocated to protect the environment as far as the trees and shrubs that are in that area," says Todd Feezer, parks and recreation director for the City of Laramie, "and also to protect the stormwater utility that Spring Creek acts as so that we don't have any damming that could hold water and then give way and cause flooding downstream."

Feezer emphasizes that there are no plans to euthanize or harm the beavers.

"These are live traps -- large metal cages -- that the beaver will hopefully enter and trigger the trap to close and be caught, and then they'll be relocated to another area where they won't cause any damage," Feezer says.

The live traps will be placed in or near the area where parks staff has found damage, which sits east of the Corthell Street bridge spanning Spring Creek.

Signs will be set up nearby to warn people of the hazard. Feezer wants to make sure the public knows about the traps and takes steps to keep pets and loved ones away.

"We want to ensure that there's safety for all the domestic animals," Feezer says.

"There's going to be an occasional stray cat or something that you might catch, but again with it being live traps, they just basically open the trap, let the cat go and there's no harm," Feezer adds.

Feezer says parks staff noticed damage to flora as well as damming within the last few weeks, and he estimates the beavers have been around for at least a month.

Again, folks should stay out of the immediate area where the traps are being set until the process is complete. In the meantime, nearby trees have been treated to reduce the likelihood of damage.

"We take the environment seriously, and also the protection of our system," Feezer says. "It's important for us to do this on a safe system, and live-trapping is by far the safest for these animals."

Information regarding cost and the name of the entity contracted to trap the beavers was not immediately available.