REGINA -- A roaming Regina rodent made for an unusual night for some members of the Regina Police Service.

“On Saturday morning at about 2 a.m. we started receiving calls to our Regina Police Service communication centre about an injured, limping beaver on Broad Street,” says RPS Social Media Officer Christeen Shire.

The Regina Police quickly deferred to the Wildlife Rehabilitation Society of Saskatchewan (WRSOS), and luckily volunteer Brittany Niemi was available for the early morning wake up call.

“I came out, found him in here and then had to catch him so we could take him in for assessment,” says Niemi, referring to a small slew just south of the Railroad Tracks that cross Broad Street.

The rodent was living in a natural but polluted marsh just off First Avenue North.

“I didn’t realize how dirty and dangerous it was until I saw it in the light of day,” says Niemi, who returned the day after the call to evaluate the terrain the beaver had been living in.

However, the night of the rescue missing, the beaver wasn’t so eager to leave its make-shift lodge, making things challenging for the WRSOS volunteer.

“The tail slapping it was funny, having to re-assess and constantly wipe your face,” says Niemi about the beaver’s behaviour. “Also the weight of it, I under-estimated how hard it was going to be to lift a wet kennel and a wet adult beaver,” add Niemi, who estimates it was between 50 to 60 lbs.

Niemi successfully delivered the beaver to the Salthaven Rehabilitation Wildlife Centre, where Director Megan Lawrence discovered a large wound.

“It’s circular, it doesn’t appear to be bite marks caused by another animal or dog, so we’re not really sure what happened to her,” says Lawrence.

And Lawrence adds there’s an explanation as to why the beaver may have been wondering the Queen City streets at 2 a.m.

“When they’re about two years old, their parents kick them out of the family unit as they prepare to have new babies. And the beavers end up wandering. They’re lost and they’re not sure where to go to find their new territory or where to live so they often get lost and confused.”

While the beaver is expected to make a full recovery, she’s gaining weight and re-hydrating at Salthaven.

“Now that she’s had some healthy meals, some fluid, and of course some pain medication she’s feeling much better,” says Lawrence.

Salthaven plans to release her into a safe environment in a matter of weeks, meaning the beaver’s tale is far from over.