ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (WKBW) — Town leaders in Orchard Park answered people's questions about what happened to the beavers at Birdsong Park Nature Trail, Thursday evening.
7 News first told you about this story on October 16.
About 12 days after, the Orchard Park Town board had 'okayed' a move to remove a "nuisance beaver" from the park.
However, due to public outcry when residents realized "trapping" meant the beaver would be killed, the Town board tabled the issue to look into other alternatives.
Three days later, the board officially put a halt to any plans to trap and kill the beaver.
Now, 7 News has learned that the beavers have reportedly been killed and removed from the park by the Village of Orchard Park.
That is why 7 News' Pheben Kassahun headed down to do a follow-up and attend a special meeting of community members in the Town of Orchard Park, which was held at the Community Activity Center, to hear from people on all sides of this situation.
She spoke with neighbors who said they want to co-exist with the beavers and believe there is a safe way to do so.
The Town board said they are causing flooding, which is not safe for the Town which was built on wetlands to begin with, and the Department of Environmental Conservation who said killing the beavers was the only humane choice they had.
"Myself, personally, the Town overall, had nothing to do with the actions that were taken by the Village," Town of Orchard Park Recreation and Youth Services director, Ed Leak said.
The Town of Orchard Park has put a halt on killing the beavers in the Town.
After four beavers were reportedly trapped and killed in the Village of Orchard Park, residents in the Town of Orchard Park is wondering why officials allowed this to happen under their noses.
"There are two entities and supposedly, they are not necessarily working together which is a problem because we had four beavers that were killed by the village, during the time that were were trying to work with the Town to come up with some solutions," NYS licensed Wild Life Rehabilitator, Saundra Mercado said.
Though, Town of Orchard officials have been very cooperative in coming up with a plan for the beavers that it deemed a "nuisance".
Leak said, "I need your help. It's got to be done cooperatively with some of the expertise and the contacts you have."
That is why he brought in town engineer Wayne Bieler to present why something needs to be done.
"The water has always gone the way that it's going. We don't typically change the direction. You might move it a little bit but the water sheds, basically always staying the same. So, that creek corridor has always had water coming down. It's just that now the beavers are now creating the dam and raising the elevation at that creek point," Town of Orchard Park engineer, Wayne Bieler said.
Everyone is willing to work together to redirect the water and find out what is causing the flooding because the town officials cannot ignore it.
"That's why with regards to any dams, earth and dams that is, the DEC[says] you have to eradicate that situation because if you don't then the water gets into those holes and then starts piping and starts running and then soon it will take soil away and then your drain will blow out," Bieler said.
This scenario is not only hitting the Town and Village of Orchard Park.
A similar situation is taking place in villages like East Aurora, where beavers there are also causing flooding.
In the end, every resident who showed up here tonight believes the community can live with the beavers in harmony.
Town resident, Susan Woloszyn said, "I am hoping that we can co-exist with the beavers. The beavers bring a lot of joy. They bring a lot of joy to my husband and I. We see a lot of children watching them in the evening."
"We are not tree-huggers. We are not animal activists. We are just concerned residents that realized the over-development of the environment that these animals have lived in for thousands of years. We have disturbed their place to live, not vice versa," Mercado added.
Ultimately the Town will have to put a price, on whatever they do and get the approval by the town board.
Another meeting on this topic will continue in January.
