Officials weigh beaver options

BEAVERTON , Ore., Feb. 25 (UPI) -- Officials in Oregon said they are mulling their options to stop a beaver from flooding a body of water that shares his name, Beaverton Creek.

Bruce Barbarasch, superintendent of the Tualatin Hills Park and Recreation District Natural Resources Division, said the beaver's dam in Beaverton's Center Street Park is causing the creek to overflow, putting nearby apartments in danger of flooding, KPTV, Portland, Ore., reported Wednesday.

Parks and recreation officials said they have been unable to coerce the rodent into moving on its own, so they are now weighing options including trapping the beaver or clearing out some of its habitat to remove the flooding danger.

Barbarasch said officials are hesitant to trap and move the beaver, as similar efforts in the past were unsuccessful and led to the animals being euthanized.