Whether a 2-year-old beaver named Nibi gets to stay with the rescuers she has known since she was a baby or must be released into the wild as winter approaches in Massachusetts has ended up in court — and caused such an uproar that even the governor has weighed in.
“To literally see people from around the world come together to protect this beaver is one of the most amazing things I have ever seen in my life,” said Adam Teper, an attorney representing Nibi's rescuers.
A judge on Tuesday said that for now, Nibi will allowed to stay in her home at Newhouse Wildlife Rescue in Chelmsford, located northwest of Boston. A hearing has been set for Friday in the case the rescuers filed against MassWildlife, the state's division of fisheries and wildlife, to stop the release.
Nibi has been a hit on the rescue group's social media since she was a baby, and posts about her impending release garnered thousands of comments. An online petition to save Nibi from being released has received over 25,000 signatures, lawmakers have weighed in, and this week Gov. Maura Healey pledged to make sure Nibi is protected.
Jane Newhouse, the rescue group's founder and president, said that after Nibi was found on the side of the road, they tried to reunite her with nearby beavers who could have been her parents but were unsuccessful. After that, attempts to get her to bond with other beavers also didn't work.
"It’s very difficult to consider releasing her when she only seems to like people and seems to have no interest in being wild or bonding with any of her own species,” Newhouse said.
Nibi has a large enclosure with a pool at the rescue operation, and will also wander in its yard and rehabilitation space, Newhouse said. “She pretty much has full run of the place. Everybody on my team is in love with her,” she said.
Newhouse said she had asked MassWildlife if she could get a permit for Nibi to become an educational beaver, allowing her to take the beaver to schools, libraries and town halls. But, she said, with the recent denial of that permission came the ordered release of Nibi.
MassWildlife said Thursday that it is “committed to protecting the well-being of all wildlife, including Nibi the beaver.” It added that that Nibi “will remain in place at this time" as agency officials "work with Newhouse Wildlife Rescue on the best steps forward.”
Newhouse said her fear is that a release would mean certain death for her beloved “diva” beaver, who doesn't know how to live in the wild.
“It doesn’t give her much time how to figure out how to build a lodge for the first time, how to build dams for the first time, how to store all of her food before winter sets in,” she said.
Newhouse said that beavers usually leave their parents between the ages of 2 and 3, so it's possible that over the next year Nibi will show more interest in wanting to be in the wild. But unless that happens, she wants to keep her safe.
“She loves her life here," Newhouse said. “She’s spoiled rotten, and she’s got lots of room to run around and her own little pond, all the food, fruit, veggies, nuts, berries she wants.”
This photo provided by Newhouse Wildlife Rescue shows Nibi as a kit at the Newhouse Wildlife Rescue in Chelmsford, Mass., in approximately 2022. (Jane Newhouse/Newhouse Wildlife Rescue via AP)
This photo provided by Newhouse Wildlife Rescue shows Nibi, a 1-year-old beaver, at the Newhouse Wildlife Rescue in Chelmsford, Mass., in approximately 2023. (Jane Newhouse/Newhouse Wildlife Rescue via AP)
This October 2024 photo provided by Newhouse Wildlife Rescue shows Nibi, a 1-year-old beaver, at the Newhouse Wildlife Rescue in Chelmsford, Mass. (Jane Newhouse/Newhouse Wildlife Rescue via AP)
Here are the AP’s latest coverage plans, top stories and promotable content. All times EDT. Find the AP’s top photos of the day in Today’s Photo Collection. For up-to-the-minute information on AP’s coverage, visit Coverage Plan in AP Newsroom.
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ONLY ON AP
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LOST-SHIPPING-CONTAINERS — Most of the world’s everyday goods and raw materials moved over long distances are packed in large metal boxes the size of tractor-trailers and stacked on ships. Millions of containers cross the oceans every year. But not everything arrives as planned. According to one trade group, at least 20,000 shipping containers have tumbled overboard in the last decade and a half. By Christina Larson, Helen Wieffering and Manuel Valdes. SENT: 800 words, photos. With LOST-SHIPPING-CONTAINERS-TAKEAWAYS (sent).
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TOP STORIES
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MIDEAST-TENSIONS — The Israeli military has warned people to evacuate a city and other communities in southern Lebanon that are north of a U.N.-declared buffer zone, signaling that it may widen a ground operation launched earlier this week against the Hezbollah militant group. By Fadi Tawil and Jack Jeffery. SENT: 1,200 words, photos, videos, audio. Developing. With MIDEAST TENSIONS-THE-LATEST; MEDIA-ISRAEL-DOCUMENTARY — In time for Oct. 7 anniversary, a new film documents Hamas’ attack on Israel music festival (both sent). Click here for more on the AP’s plans for the anniversary of the Oct. 7 attacks and the start of the war in Gaza. Find a selection of related photos in the Mideast Tensions Photo Collection on AP Newsroom.
HURRICANE HELENE — In the midst of the devastating destruction left by the deadliest hurricane to hit the mainland U.S. since Katrina, human connections are giving the survivors hope in western North Carolina. That includes neighbors checking on neighbors in Asheville and daily in-person town meetings in the Black Mountain square. SENT: 1,150 words, photos, videos, audio. Developing. With HURRICANE-HELENE-BIG-BEND-RECOVERY — Florida communities hit three times by hurricanes grapple with how and whether to rebuild; ELECTION 2024-CLIMATE — Hurricane Helene brings climate change to forefront of presidential campaign; TROPICAL-WEATHER-ATLANTIC — Hurricane Kirk could cause dangerous surf conditions along the US East Coast (all sent).
ELECTION 2024 — Liz Cheney, one of Donald Trump’s fiercest Republican antagonists, will join Democrat Kamala Harris at a campaign event in Wisconsin aimed at reaching out to moderate voters and rattling the former president. By Chris Megerian. SENT: 500 words, photos, video, audio. Developing from 5 p.m. event. With ELECTION 2024-MICHIGAN — Haunted by 2016, some Michigan Democrats worry that Harris remains ill-defined in swing state (sent).
ELECTION-2024-SPIRITUAL-WARFARE — Among the nation’s charismatic Christians, there’s one highly politicized faction in particular that believes the reelection of former President Donald Trump would be a win in a literal spiritual war of angels in demons. The movement believes in modern-day apostles and prophets, and several of its pastors have close ties to Trump. Many of them rallied behind him and his false claims the 2020 election was stolen. By Peter Smith SENT: 1,280 words, photos.
ASIA-TYPHOON — Typhoon Krathon has made landfall in Taiwan’s major port city of Kaohsiung, bringing torrential rains and fierce winds to the island’s south. Trees were brought down by high winds and roads were flooded, prompting the closure of schools and businesses. By Simina Mistreanu. SENT: 510 words, photos, video, audio. With TAIWAN-FIRE-DEATHS — Taiwan hospital fire leaves at least 9 dead as typhoon batters island’s south (sent).
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SPOTLIGHTING VOICES
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NYC-MAYOR-BLACK REPRESENTATION — The indictment of New York City mayor Eric Adams on federal bribery charges has sparked debates among Black leaders and community advocates about whether to stand behind a figure who, for many, represents a milestone of Black representation in government. Nearly two years ago, New York voters elected Black leaders to a historic number of local and statewide offices. Some Black leaders now fear that Adams’ indictment may tarnish the broader political representation that was achieved. By Aaron Morrison and Matt Brown. SENT: 1,140 words, photos, video.
SOUTH-KOREA-DEEPFAKE-PORN — South Korea is fighting a deluge of non-consensual, explicit deepfake videos and images primarily targeting women online. Observers say most suspected perpetrators are teenage boys, many of whom target their female friends, relatives and others whom they know — also mostly minors — as a prank, out of curiosity or out of misogyny. Many girls and women in South Korea have hastily removed their photos and videos from their social media accounts. By Hyung-jin Kim. SENT: 1,190 words, photos.
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RUSSIA-UKRAINE-WAR
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RUSSIA-UKRAINE-WAR — New NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has visited Ukraine in his first official trip since taking office and pledging the alliance’s continued support for Kyiv in its war with Russia. Rutte met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv as air raid sirens twice went off in the Ukrainian capital. SENT: 760 words, photos.
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MORE NEWS
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PORT STRIKE-WHAT TO KNOW — What to know about the U.S. dockworkers strike. SENT: 1,300 words, photos, video.
CONGO-BOAT-ACCIDENT — A boat carrying scores of passengers has capsized on Lake Kivu in eastern Congo, killing at least 50 people, witnesses told The Associated Press. SENT: 560 words, photos.
MICROSOFT-RUSSIAN-CYBERATTACKS — The US and Microsoft disrupt a Russian hacking group targeting American officials and nonprofits. SENT: 430 words, photo.
FRANCE-OBIT-PERAHIA — Victor Perahia, the president of the French Union of Auschwitz Deportees and a Holocaust survivor, has died. He was 91. SENT: 410 words, photos.
BRITAIN-DEAF-CINEMA — A new initiative will allow UK deaf audiences to see captioned films before general release. SENT: 480 words, photos.
PLIGHT-OF-NIBI-THE-BEAVER — The fate of Nibi the beaver lands in court as rescuers try to stop her release into the wild. SENT: 520 words, photos, video, audio.
TARANTULA-FESTIVAL — Spider lovers scurry to Colorado town in search of mating tarantulas and community. SENT: 680 words, photos, video, audio.
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WASHINGTON/POLITICS
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ELECTION 2024-TRUMP-IMMIGRATION — Donald Trump has developed a unique fondness for a chart that shows U.S.-Mexico border crossings. He narrowly dodged an assassin’s bullet by turning his head to glance at the immigration graphic during a Pennsylvania rally in July. By Adriana Gomez Licon. SENT: 950 words, photos.
SUPREME COURT-GHOST GUNS — The Supreme Court is hearing arguments next week in a case over a federal regulation aimed at reducing privately made firearms often referred to as ghost guns. By Lindsay Whitehurst. SENT: 1,100 words, photos.
ELECTION-SECURITY-COLORADO-CLERK — A former Colorado county clerk and one-time hero to election conspiracists is set to be sentenced for leading a data-breach scheme inspired by the rampant false claims that voting fraud altered the result of the 2020 presidential race. SENT: 350 words, photo.
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NATIONAL
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TYRE-NICHOLS — The future of three former Memphis officers charged with violating Tyre Nichols’ civil rights in a beating that proved fatal is in the hands of a jury after a nearly monthlong federal trial. SENT: 590 words, photos. Developing.
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INTERNATIONAL
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BRITAIN-MAURITIUS-CHAGOS-ISLANDS — The British government agreed Thursday to hand sovereignty of the long-contested Chagos Islands, an archipelago of more than 60 islands in the Indian Ocean, to Mauritius, in a deal to secure the future of a strategically important U.K.-U.S. military base. SENT: 910 words, photos
THAILAND-BUS FIRE — A small town in central Thailand is holding a mass funeral for the 23 students and teachers who died in a bus fire while on a school trip earlier this week. Families and friends of the dead, who tearfully recalled the children’s short lives, were joined at their funeral in the small central Thai town of Lan Sak by a representative bearing a wreath from King Maha Vajiralongkorn. SENT: 830 words, photos, video, audio.
GEORGIA-LGBTQ-RIGHTS — The speaker of the Georgian parliament has signed into a law a bill that severely curtails LGBTQ+ rights in the country and mirrors legislation adopted in neighboring Russia. SENT: 800 words, photos.
ITALY-SUSPECTED-PICASSO — An Italian family hopes to prove definitively that a painting discarded from a villa on the island of Capri more than 60 years ago is a Picasso, and has been gathering scientific data to persuade Picasso’s estate administration in Paris to make the definitive call. SENT: 830 words, photos.
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BUSINESS
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GOOGLE-AI-EXPANSION — Google is injecting its search engine with more artificial intelligence that will enable people to voice questions about images and occasionally organize an entire page of results, despite the technology’s past offerings of misleading information. SENT: 590 words, photos.
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ENTERTAINMENT
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MUSIC-GRAMMY'S — For years, the Grammy Awards have been criticized over a lack of diversity — artists of color and women left out of top prizes; rap and contemporary R&B stars ignored — a reflection of the Recording Academy’s electorate. An evolving voting body, 66% of whom have joined in the last five years, is working to remedy that. SENT: 670 words, photos.
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SPORTS
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BILES-SUPPORTING MEN — Gymnastics star Simone Biles is giving the men’s side of the sport a welcome boost. Several members of the U.S. men’s Olympic team that captured bronze in Paris have joined Biles for her post-Olympic tour. SENT: 800 words, photos.
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HOW TO REACH US
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The moon moves across the sun during an annular solar eclipse seen from Tahai, Rapa Nui, or Easter Island, Chile, Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)
A relative touches a portrait of a victim of a school bus fire at Wat Khao Phraya Sangkharam School Lan Sak, Uthai Thani province, Thailand, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)
A woman with a child on her back walks past a house which had collapsed due to flooding in the Nakhu river caused by heavy rains in Lalitpur, Nepal, on Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Niranjan Shrestha)
Ben Phillips scoops mud out a window of his house left in the wake of Hurricane Helene, Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024, in Marshall, N.C. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris greets people who were impacted by Hurricane Helene in Augusta, Ga., Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024, as from left, Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., FEMA deputy direct Erik Hooks and Augusta Mayor Garnett Johnson watch. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Mourners take the last look at the body of Sameh al-Asali, 38, a Palestinian worker from Gaza who had been stranded in the territory since the war broke out and was killed by a rocket during Tuesday's night's Iranian strike toward Israel, during his funeral in the West Bank city of Jericho, Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)
Smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike in Dahiyeh, Beirut, Lebanon, Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
