Beavers, weasels, and more animal pests added to DNR's kill list
Toppled trees near Stony Island in the Detroit River.
(FOX 2) - Good news private landowners, if you've got a pest eating your plants or burrowing under your yard, you may not need prior approval before removing the unfriendly animals.
The Natural Resources Commission has green lighted a number of new animal species sometimes known as nuisance wildlife that can be removed without a permit.
Among the new animals on the list are beavers, which have been residents of the region for far longer than humans but can also be extraordinarily destructive to the local environment when they dam rivers and cut down trees.
The NRC approved the list of new animals last week during their monthly meeting. They include:
- Beaver
- Cottontail rabbit
- Weasel
- Fox squirrel
- Gray squirrel
- Ground squirrel
- Muskrat
- Opossum
- Red squirrel
- Raccoon
- Skunk
- Coyote
- Woodchuck
The last four animals on the list already didn't require a permit to remove.
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According to the agenda item, the animals can be removed if the animal could "imminently cause damage" the surrounding environment.