The "Wildlife Getting Even" Story

The Dillerville Swamp is partially covered with ice during the
winter months.  

It was an ordinary day.  Just got back from a visit to the nearby Dillerville swamp where there seems to be a beaver who is wreaking havoc in the neighborhood.  It's the same swamp where my childhood friend Jerry used to hunt for snapping turtles to catch and sell to a local seafood store.  My mom would never allow me to be part of something as despicable as hunting turtles, so I missed out on some of the most memorable events of my childhood.  Oh, well!  A few years ago quite a bit of the land beside the swamp was developed and the resulting shopping center now houses a Weis Supermarket, Home Depot, Home Goods Store, Old Navy and the list goes on.  

Signs declaring the area to be a Wetland Preservation.

Took away quite a bit of the land where the local wildlife used to live ...... and now they're gettin even!  I just had go see for myself where this beaver is busy engineering the dam that has been causing a nearby parking lot to flood so that fewer cars can park in it.  A member of the South Central Transit Authority, David, has been using a three-prong hoe to dislodge the dam, but shortly afterwards it is rebuilt once again.  David called a wildlife conservation officer with the Pennsylvania Game Commission to find out what he is legally able to do since the land is classified as a State Wildlife Preservation area and trapping, hunting and the like are illegal.  

This shot of David opening the dam was taken from a video
that was posted by Lancaster Online, our local newspaper.
The video was made by Ad Crable, staff wildlife reporter.

Seems that David used to be a naturalist at Black Moshannon State Park and loves the wildlife that makes the swamp home which includes ducks, geese, eagles, foxes, mink as well as the beaver.  David is hoping the beaver will eventually become discouraged with having his dam constantly removed and move on to another location along the nearby Conestoga Creek.  I'm guessing the "Beav" is fed up with having his land consumed for parking and commercial development and will continue to rebuild as fast as his dam is removed.   The saga continues!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.