As beaver sightings become more common along the Chicago River, one particularly spherical and possibly pregnant beaver has captivated Chica
BRIDGEPORT — A “remarkably rotund” and likely pregnant beaver is living, eating and knocking down trees around the Southwest Side— and environmental nonprofit Urban Rivers is looking to name it.
Lori Heavyfoot, Southside Large Marge, Dam Ryan, Sufjan Beavens and Sigourney Beaver are some top contenders suggested by
While the beaver is likely extra “spherical” because of its likely pregnancy, it’s been larger than average for longer than a beaver pregnancy lasts — which is typically two to three months, Meyer said. Urban Rivers volunteers aren’t able to weigh the beaver, but this particularly robust rodent can be heard on camera waddling across the dock and cracking ice beneath its paws, he said.
Its shape, it’s just so spherical, so round,” Meyer said. “Normally they’re a little more streamlined, able to move through the water. They look a little more agile. And this one, it’s just a beach ball and waddling around real slow.
“It feels like a deep-dish Bridgeport resident.”
Wesley’s plan is to take about 20 or so of his favorite potential names and run them by Urban Rivers’ volunteers and beaver researcher Sammie Clark for a vote, he said. You can contact Urban Rivers here to submit names.
The winning name will likely be announced whenever the mother beaver gives birth, in celebration of its new litter, Wesley said. Runners-up will likely get passed onto the children, assuming this is a pregnancy, he said.
The group has observed this particular family, with an abnormally globular beaver as its matriarch, on the South and West Sides for at least a year now, Wesley said. The beaver family been caught on tape by Urban Rivers’ various “camera traps,” a monitoring system the organization has been expanding in recent months — though they’ve likely been here longer, he said.
Beavers are “very territorial by family,” so they’ll stay together until one of them dies or until the kids peel off and find their own home base, Wesley said.