Beaver found ‘suffering’, shot with multiple arrows still not found

A beaver found with four arrows sticking out of it has still not been found and a reward is being offered for information.

The animal appeared to be struggling to swim to shore near the West Kelowna Yacht Club on Friday, according to resident Saskia Dover.

Dover told Global News she was walking down the sidewalk and stopped at a pedestrian bridge when the animal caught her eye.

“It was tumbling down the river very awkwardly,” Dover said.

“I thought it was kind of disgusting, I don’t know why someone would shoot a beaver with four arrows and how it was still alive swimming down the creek. It was pretty sad.”

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Dover said the beaver came to a rest on the shore, giving her an opportunity to take photos of the animal, she says was clearly injured.

She said she immediately called for a conservation officer but after about 20 minutes, had to leave to catch a flight.

She said she was told the closest conservation officer was in Penticton and by the time they arrived, the beaver may have swam away.

It’s not known whether the beaver is still alive, where it is or what happened to it after Saskia came across it.

“It must be a really tough beaver because it was definitely still alive,” Saskia said. “It was just sitting there looking at us.”

Whether this was a case of intentional harm to an animal or a registered trapper trying to trap the beaver is unknown, according to B.C. Conservation Officer Service inspector Tobe Sprado.

Sprado said if the culprit is not a registered trapper, they could be facing criminal charges.

“It would be hunting wildlife not within an open season under our provincial wildlife act,” Sprado said.

“Typically what happens is the public would get a hold of our Ministry of Forests wildlife program and they would make an application for a permit to dispose of the beaver and typically the wildlife program would get a hold of the registered trappers for that area in order for that to be done humanely.”

Sprado said complaints about a beaver being shot with multiple arrows are rare.

The B.C. Conservation Officer Service is appealing for anyone with information on what happened to contact the Report All Poachers and Polluters Program (RAPP) at 1-877-952-7277.

The Fur-Bearers, a B.C.-based non-profit organization, is offering a $1,200 reward for information that helps identify and convict the person or people responsible.

~ With files from Travis Lowe and Jules Knox