Beloved Beaver At Union Bay Meets Sad Fate

Many neighbors have reported that a beaver they had regularly seen over the past 2 months building a dam, was found deceased on Sunday. It was reported that a coyote captured the beaver for food.

Another beaver has been spotted in the last few days, quite close to where the deceased beaver was building its dam.

Beavers have been spotted in the Union Bay Natural area for many years as well as otters, herons, eagles, osprey, a large variety of birds and other wildlife.

In 2016 a boardwalk was completed along the shoreline to protect wildlife by directing human foot traffic away from the sensitive areas, such as where beavers are at work. The trail offers views of the wetlands, the beaver lodge and the lagoon. 

Friends of Yesler Swamp along with the University of Washington Botanic Gardens helped coordinate the boardwalk. The UW  purchased the property in 1927, that at one time had  that had been Henry Yesler’s sawmill by the lake.

Friends of Yesler Swamp, said at the time:

Yesler Swamp, located at the corner of NE 41^st Street and NE Surber Drive,  is one of the last true swamps in Seattle. It is a beautiful, serene oasis in the midst of a busy neighborhood. Great blue heron nest on the shore, beaver families live in the beaver lodge, and hundreds of birds perch on its trees and shrubs.   Please visit Yesler Swamp and be mindful of the fragile wetland environment.

Friends of Yesler Swamp has published a variety of posts regarding the history of Yesler Swamp,  including history of the area from settlement, sawmill, town of Yesler, historic photos, videos, source notes and more, on their website.

A Laurelhurst Blog reader shared that beaver enthusiasts should consider joining Beavers Northwest and also reading Eager: the Surprising, Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matter" by Ben Goldfarb.

Beavers have been spotted in the Union Bay Natural area for many years as well as otters, herons, eagles, osprey, several species of birds, it’s just magical :)wildlife and so many different birds. In 2016 a boardwalk was completed along the shoreline to rotecting wildlife by directing human foot traffic away from these sensitive areas as well as The trail would offer views of the wetlands, the beaver lodge and the lagoon/

The UW owns the land, the Botanic Gardens has helped coordinate the work. The UW in 1927 purchased the property that had been Henry Yesler’s sawmill by the lake,

Friends of Yesler Swamp said at the time:

Yesler Swamp,located at the corner of NE 41^st and Surber Drive,  – one of the last true swamps in Seattle – is a beautiful, serene oasis in the midst of a busy neighborhood. Great blue heron nest on the shore, beaver families live in the beaver lodge, and hundreds of birds perch on its trees and shrubs.   Please visit Yesler Swamp! Dogs on leash are welcome, but please refrain from biking and jogging in this fragile wetland environment

Friends of Yesler Swamp has published a variety of posts regarding the history of Yesler Swamp,  including history of the area from settlement, sawmill, town of Yesler, historic photos, videos, source notes and more, on their website.