The Conservation Officer told Global News that the beaver was caught in an illegal snare trap in a residential area. The question we must ask is: why was the trap deemed illegal?
Trapping beavers – just about anywhere – is totally legal. It could be the proximity to homes that the officer was referencing. But it’s more likely that snares are illegal traps for beavers. Unfortunately, no one told the beaver this.
Certain traps are designed for catching certain animals; the AIHTS trade agreement outlined much of this. Snares, which are acceptable for many animals like coyotes and wolves, are not acceptable for catching beavers. Since a snare is an inanimate object and is incapable of differentiating between what activates its mechanism, it’s kind of a catch-22 – and another sign that trapping is virtually impossible to regulate in the field.
While this story shows the ridiculous nature of trapping regulations, it does end on a positive: the Conservation Officer was able to safely return the beaver to his home, to be with his family.
