Man vs. beaver: NJ locals at war with ‘selfish,’ destructive animals

🌳 Beavers flooding 100s of acres of land, man claims

🌳 He says they are "selfish" and can't get along with other wildlife

🌳 Strong reactions to beaver problem

PLUMSTED — An exploding beaver population is wreaking havoc on the Pinelands and flooding hundreds of acres of land, according to a frustrated New Egypt man.

Too many beavers are gnawing down trees and building dams on the land around Chris Ritter's 30-acre property, he said in a social media post. It's become an especially significant problem in recent years with dams flooding roads and causing other destruction.

"Numerous farms, homes and parks are being destroyed due to uncontrollable flooding and tree destruction here in New Egypt," Ritter said.

Ritter doesn't want to kill the beavers. He also doesn't want to get a trapping license because the process requires applicants to prove they can skin a beaver. He told the Philadelphia Inquirer that he keeps destroying the dams and the beavers keep rebuilding them.

Ritter turned to a Facebook group for the Pine Barrens asking for help.

Ritters' critter complaints sparked furious debate. Hundreds of people weighed in — it got so intense that group moderators locked the comment section.

Strong reactions to beaver problem

Many people questioned Ritter's characterization that the beavers were selfish.

"I was empathetic with you until you said the beavers were selfish. As others pointed out, beavers are just trying to survive, and if wild animals weren’t always doing that, they’d all die," a woman said.

"Selfish?" a man said.

Ritter doubled down. He claimed the beavers had no concern for other wildlife.

"Absolutely! How can you explain how many other lives they displace due to arrogance and selfishness," Ritter said.

Kill the beavers?

Many sympathized with Ritter's plight.

"Beavers cost the state money, they wash out roads in Brendan Byrne almost every year," a woman said.

But solutions were varied. Some encouraged trapping and relocating the animals while others advocated for lethal force, regardless of the law.

"I'd personally, take a bow, still lethal, may not ricochet off the water as far with a higher grain. Collect them and ship them down south, im sure our southern brothers wouldn't mind the meat," one man said.

Another commenter encouraged using a .22 caliber rifle to "solve the problem."

"Take the matter into your own hands," he said. "Don’t rely on this blue state government. They are clearly clueless."

Gov. Murphy in 2020 vetoed legislation that would have allowed the Department of Fish and Wildlife to give out more beaver permits.

Sympathy for NJ beavers

Despite flooding to roads and property, some people said Beavers had every right to build their dams.

"I can’t take claims of destruction seriously when the damage is happening to manmade infrastructure that was plopped down on top of wilderness. The roads and houses and farms shouldn’t be there, naturally. I’m sorry if that comes off harsh but beavers were here first," one woman said.

"They are doing what beavers do. Just living in their own habitat," said another.

But one man chose to not take sides on Ritter's post, which amounted to nearly 1,000 words.

"Man, that’s way to [sic] much for me to read," he said.

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