Suburban beavers

Beavers have moved into Great Meadows in Lexington. It appears they are trying to dam up a stream but we haven't located the lodge, and the dam we found looks pretty meager. Do beavers sometimes make a bad choice and quickly move on? I am worried because it's such a public location, someone could try to harm them, especially if the houses nearby get any flooding problems.

Pat has gotten up close and personal, but Genie's terrified (thank goodness) of the sound of that slapping tail.

Young beavers strike out on there own and are not quickly expert at lodge and dam building. They will create a small lodge on a river's edge, under an over hang; in a protected area. I don't know how long it takes, but it's a while before they are fully damming streams and building standard lodges in the ponds created.

Sometimes they are "moved on" involuntarily...

Unfortunately, sometimes the relo is unplanned for the youngsters... beavers and suburban planning don't necessarily mesh too well. Any number of times, I have seen a dam system starting up (usually close to a road, golf-course, etc.), only to have the beavers disappear and the dam removed, picked apart, blown up, etc.

I never really wanted to know the details of whether they were live-trapped and relocated or if it was a more final solution. I guess it depends on whom is responsible.