Nibi the beaver ordered released into wild; Massachusetts rescue group 'heartbroken'

CHELMSFORD, Mass. -- A wildlife rescue group and its supporters are protesting a decision by state wildlife authorities to release "Nibi" the beaver back into the wild.

For the past two years, Nibi has been at Newhouse Wildlife Rescue in Chelmsford. The organization found the orphaned beaver in Sturbridge and took her in when she was very young.

Since then, she's been a hit on social media.

"So many people have fallen in love with Nibi," Jane Newhouse told WBZ-TV.

But now MassWildlife says it's time to Nibi to return to nature, saying in a statement that "wild animals like this one belong in the wild."

"The role of licensed wildlife rehabilitators is to care for sick and injured wildlife so that animals can be released back into the wild as soon as possible," MassWildlife said. "Newhouse Wildlife Rescue was informed in June that the beaver is healthy and must be returned to the wild, in accordance with their permit and state regulations."

Newhouse worries that the decision will cost the beaver her life. "No one from MassWildlife has been here to assess her," Newhouse said. "No one from MassWildlife has ever met this beaver."

She said Nibi wanted nothing to do with other orphaned beavers brought to the facility, and could not be conditioned to survive in the wild.

"We tried to make Nibi releasable," Newhouse said. "The goal for any wildlife rehabilitator is to acclimate these animals to the wild."

MassWildlife says this is an appropriate time of year to release a beaver into the wild, but Newhouse wants to wait until at least spring. She fears Nibi won't be able to make a den and dam and store food for the winter.

"Nibi's going to have to figure it out for the very first time and with it being October, if Nibi doesn't get it right the first time I don't think she's going to make it," Newhouse said.

Nibi the beaver's case headed to court

MassWildlife said Nibi will not be taken away Tuesday, according to Newhouse. And now the battle over the beaver's future is apparently headed to court.

Newhouse said Terper Legal, a firm specializing in animal law, has filed an injunction against the state. The case is set to be heard in Lowell Superior Court at 2 p.m.

"Heartbroken over all of it"

A request to make Nibi an educational beaver and let her stay at the rescue was denied, Newhouse said.

"I'm heartbroken over all of it, to be honest with you," Newhouse said.

MassWildlife says the beaver will be released in a suitable habitat away from people.

"I shouldn't be working against the state to try and save an animal, especially a keystone species. We should all be working together," Newhouse said. "We should all be on the same team."

Lawmaker says plan to release Nibi is "ill conceived"

State Rep. Marc Lombardo (R-Billerica) stepped in Monday night and asked Governor Maura Healey to order a delay in plans to release Nibi.

"As with all governmental objectives, there is a right way and there can be a wrong way to achieve stated goals," Lombardo said. "In the case of Nibi the Beaver, I am deeply concerned that a release back to the wild at this time of the year is ill conceived and will put the animal's life in danger."

In the letter to the governor and other state agencies including MassWildlife, Lombardo asked them to "exercise discretion and an abundance of caution" to ensure Nibi thrives when released.

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