When two newborn beavers lost their mom, they were completely helpless.
They were less than a month old and all they could do was cry out for help.
While some unlikely assistance was on the way, would it get there in time?
Keep reading to find out what happened next!
A Cry for Help
When a Louisiana landowner hired a crew to clear up some debris in his pond, he hardly expected what was about to happen.
In the middle of the day, the workers began to hear what sounded like human babies crying underneath all of the broken timber!
They were extremely confused, yet immediately started digging through the debris to find the source of the cries.
The cleared rubble revealed two tiny newborn beavers, who coincidentally tend to sound just like human babies!
The surprised workers immediately rushed the babies to the landowner, who then started calling around for help!
The Right Person for the Job
The landowner eventually got in contact with Leslie Green, a licensed wildlife rehabber in Farmerville, Louisiana.
Leslie had rehabilitated otters before, but never beavers, which are a 3 year rehabilitation commitment.
Regardless of this, she still wanted to do everything she could to responsibly help!
As fate would have it, Leslie managed to get in contact with a biologist who not only agreed to transport the beavers to her, but also to mentor her through raising the beavers!
In no time at all, the orphaned beavers, now named Cypress & Willow, were on their way to Leslie!
Baby Steps for Baby Beavers
Leslie’s heart melted when she first met Cypress and Willow.
“They started crying, and it broke my heart,” Leslie said. “They were so helpless and so tiny. They fit right in the palm of my hand.”
Having done her homework, she was ready to take these sweet babies along their rehab journey!
“Obviously, it was a learning experience and I was still pretty nervous,” Leslie said. “But at the same time, it was very rewarding.”
Leslie gave them swimming time in the bathtub and also syringe fed them milk multiple times a day,
“Cypress was very demanding when she ate,” Leslie joked. “Whenever I went to refill her syringe for milk, she would throw a fit. I mean, attitude for days.”
Slowly but surely, the sisters were gaining strength and confidence.
Broader Horizons
Eventually, Willow and Cypress outgrew the bathtub and graduated to an outdoor water tank!
They also started eating big girl food.
“You have to give them foods high in iron, because the outer coating on their teeth is made of iron,” Leslie said.
They also got another beaver sister named Magnolia.
The three girls started having so much fun together doing beaver things.
“They’re pretty sleepy during the day,” Leslie said. “But when the sun sets, it’s a party in the USA.”
Leslie took the best care of the beavers, and the more they grew, the bigger their personalities got!
Three Best Friends
Magnolia is the social butterfly of the group.
“Cypress is the mama of the group,” Leslie said. “She’s very protective of the other two.”
Willow is a little more shy and reserved than her sisters, but she still wants Leslie to hand feed her blueberries.
Leslie can tell that they all love and trust her so much by the way that the greet her like beavers greet each other.
“They’ll come up and I’ll bend down,” Leslie said. “Then they’ll stand all the way up and bump my nose with their nose. It’s the cutest thing.”
While Leslie’s bond with the girls is special, she knows she will have to let them go eventually.
Ready for the Wild
As the three beavers approach the 3 year mark, it’s time for them to get ready to go back to the wild.
Leslie has been working up to preparing them for this for months.
In the coming months, Leslie will not only help them be more self sufficient, but also begin to desocialize them to humans.
While this makes her a little sad, she knows it’s extremely important to the girls’ survival.
“When humans and wildlife interact in the wild, it’s always the wildlife that pays the price for it,” Leslie said.
Leslie has shared so many wonderful memories with Cypress, Willow, and Magnolia.
From hearing their first tiny cires, to Cypress making it into the top 10 of the Cadbury Bunny competition, Leslie has made every day count.
It will definitely be a bittersweet goodbye, but Leslie is so excited to return these girls to their natural habitat and see them thrive!
Click here to follow Leslie on instagram and see more of her fantastic wildlife rehab work!