Giant, 44-pound beaver captured near lake was 'lethargic' and had 'stomach trouble'   

  • A 44-pound beaver was found at Tempre Town Lake in Pheonix 
  • Wildlife workers captured the beaver easily and the animal was transferred to a wildlife center
  • A veterinarian said the beaver had 'stomach problems' but was otherwise okay

By ASSOCIATED PRESS

Published: | Updated:

A giant beaver is on the mend after being captured near a Phoenix-area lake Wednesday.

The beaver drew the attention of joggers and onlookers in recent weeks at Tempe Town Lake because of its 44-pound size. 

The animal was spotted in a construction zone at the lake, AZFamily reports.  

Wildlife volunteers thought the animal may be sick due to its slow, lethargic movements, so they decided to capture the animal. 

Giant: A 44-pound beaver (photographed) is on the mend after being captured near a Phoenix-area lake Wednesday.

Giant: A 44-pound beaver (photographed) is on the mend after being captured near a Phoenix-area lake Wednesday.

Wildlife Center: Wildlife workers captured the animal with a net this week and took it to the Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center

Wildlife Center: Wildlife workers captured the animal with a net this week and took it to the Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center

Wildlife workers captured the animal with a net this week and took it to the Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center, where the beaver will stay until it gets healthy again and is released back into the wild. 

Tony Sola, a volunteer who helped with the capture, told AZCentral that the beaver was captured so easily that it was obvious the creature was not 'feeling well.' 

Sola said it took about an hour for volunteers to get to the animal, but loading the 44-pound beaver into the carrier was the hardest part. 

Hardest Part: A volunteer said it took about an hour for volunteers to get to the animal, but loading the 44-pound beaver into the carrier was the hardest part

Hardest Part: A volunteer said it took about an hour for volunteers to get to the animal, but loading the 44-pound beaver into the carrier was the hardest part

Alright: Dr. Nick Robel, with the center, said the beaver had some stomach trouble and may have an infection but was otherwise alright

Alright: Dr. Nick Robel, with the center, said the beaver had some stomach trouble and may have an infection but was otherwise alright

The animal was lethargic when it came in.

'Usually these guys are pretty feisty when they come in, Dr. Nick Robel, with the center, told AZFamily. 'They'll make a lot of noise and kind of lunge at you a little bit, certainly try to bite. 

'This guy wasn't doing any of that stuff.' 

Robel said the beaver had some stomach trouble but was otherwise alright, AZCentral reports.

Christina Tetreault said she was jogging with a friend around the lake on Jan. 7 when she spotted the portly critter.

Tetreault said she called authorities who came out to check on the beaver, which had by then made its way back into the water.

The giant beaver is the fifth to be removed from the Tempe Twon Lake area, AZFamily reports.  

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