The beaver that was rescued from the East River by an NYPD SCUBA crew Fiday near the United Nations has reportedly died. According to CityRoom, the 40 pound animal was on its way to Utica to be treated by a wildlife medical specialist, but expired along the way.
The SCUBA crew was patrolling the East River near the United Nations because of the Pope's address to the General Assembly. They saw the animal swimming awkwardly and apparently laboring, so they pulled the four foot-long animal out the water with a lasso and transferred him to Animal General--a West Side animal hospital.
Dr. Paul Howell, who treated the female beaver, said that it was not likely the beaver would have survived even if it had been left in the water, as those waters are very salty and beavers are freshwater creatures. So despite the valiant efforts of police and veterinarians, nature still took its course.
