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Eager Beavers Chomp Away At Cherry Trees

For many families in Washington, D.C., the annual Cherry Blossom Festival is a sign that spring has arrived. But for one local family, the festival turned into an all-you-can-eat buffet. It was a family of beavers!

Each year, thousands of visitors go to the Tidal Basin to stroll past the Yoshino cherry trees, which were a gift from Japan to the U.S. in 1912. On April 1, three beavers also took the tour. A week later, eight cherry trees and six other trees had fallen or were damaged.

What to do? The National Park Service called in a trapping team, which caught Mommy, Baby and Big Daddy Beaver. The family were then released in a secret spot."They've received a lot of attention," says Julia Long of the Park Service. "They need some peace and quiet."

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