Beavers build dams by instinct. Even if they’ve never seen another beaver building a dam, they have the urge to do it, whether or not it’s practical. However, baby beavers usually stay with their parents for the first two years of their lives, so they can learn a lot in that time.
Sadly, a young beaver named Nibi was separated from her family when she was only about a week old. Humans took her in and helped rehabilitate her, but they couldn’t compete with the comfort of other beavers. So, they want to reunite Nibi with wild beavers as soon as they can.
Beaver Cries For Her Family
When Nibi was only a week old, someone spotted her walking on a busy road. They contacted Newhouse Wildlife Rescue to alert them of a baby beaver in danger. The rescue took Nibi in without hesitation, giving her necessary care.
After a few days of recovery, Nibi’s rescuers tried to reunite her with her family. They brought her to a nearby beaver dam to look for fellow beavers, and Nibi cried out for her family. Yet, even with Nibi’s pleas, no beavers showed up.
“We made efforts over the next few days to try to reunite her. But reuniting with beavers is very rare,” said Jane Newhouse. “We went to the nearest beaver dam and we let her cry out, and we waited to see if any beavers would come, but nobody did.”
Nibi was too young to return to the wild without her family, so the rescue vowed to care for her until she was ready to enter the wild on her own. They predict that it will be about two or three years until then. So, they’re helping her make the most of her life at the rescue while she’s there, but they’re trying not to get too attached. They want to ensure she can survive without human support in the wild.
Nibi Impresses Her Rescuers
Newhouse and the other volunteers worked hard to make sure Nibi was comfortable and content at the rescue. It didn’t take them long to discover how intelligent the tiny beaver was. She loved playing with dog toys, but every once in a while, she would shift into work mode instead. The tiny beaver had never seen a beaver build a dam before, but she still knew it was something she needed to do.
In work mode, Nibi gathered sticks and used them to build dams. In the wild, beavers usually build dams in the water, but Nibi was eager to build dams anywhere she could. She would often build them in front of doors at the rescue. She always kept her sticks separate from her toys, likely to keep her playtime and work separate.
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As much as Nibi’s rescuers love her, they refuse to let their emotions get in the way of what’s best for her. If she seems ready to return to the wild in the future, they will gladly let her do that.
“In the end, I don’t wanna see her in an enclosure her whole life. I want her to be in ponds and rivers and being able to chop down trees,” said Newhouse. “So, it’s loving her unselfishly and knowing that this is what’s best for her. But it’s going to be a heartache for sure.”
Watch Nibi’s Journey Here:
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via Whisker Therapy