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Beavers Being Killed In NW Indiana For Blocking Drainage Systems

Indiana Department of Natural Resources

Counties in northwest Indiana have been trapping and euthanizing beavers that block stormwater drains.

Lake County euthanized about 140 beavers from 2016-2018.

Lake County Surveyor William Emerson Jr. says contractors are focusing on beavers that disrupt the drainage system. The county spent $60,500 dismantling ten beaver dams in 2017, but the animals kept returning.

Emerson says state rules require beavers to be relocated within the county where they're found, but Lake County doesn't have a beaver sanctuary. He says the county euthanizes the animals instead.

Porter County Surveyor Kevin Breitzke estimates his county euthanizes about 15 beavers annually. He says beavers that are relocated are often confused by their new surroundings or attacked by other beavers.