Park rangers watching over Castor, the new resident beaver at Frick Park
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- A new resident has moved in at Frick Park.
The Pittsburgh Park Rangers have discovered a beaver has moved in at Nine Mile Run. They first spotted the animal about a week and a half ago and are documenting its activities on their Instagram page.
The rangers have named the beaver Castor after the scientific name for the North American beaver, Castor canadensis, and are keeping a close eye on it.
Castor is only the second beaver to migrate up the Monongahela River and move into the park, the rangers said. However, these critters are fairly common in our rivers and streams.
For now, Castor is doing what beavers do best – eating, grooming and swimming.
The rangers say these guys "are a great sign of ecosystem health." But they are not sure Castor will be building a dam.
"While we don't expect a dam to be built due to altitude of flooding in Nine Mile Run, it wouldn't be surprising to see one attempted. Nine Mile Run is a flood plain and the surrounding wetlands make it a perfect environment for our friend."
If you're in the park and try to spot Castor, the park rangers said that beavers are shy animals so it might not be easy to spot.
