Nearly 1,000 people lost internet access and mobile phone service after a beaver (or a nest of them) chewed through an underground telecommunications line.
According to an article posted by the CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) local telecom provider Telus Mobility saw 900+ customers in the rural town of Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia lose internet access after a beaver went hog wild on a fiber line, “causing extensive damage.”
The telecom spokesperson, Liz Sauvé, called the situation was a “very bizarre and uniquely Canadian turn of events” after crews responding to the outage found the previously-buried cable chewed through at multiple points near a creek.
Telus’ statement said:
“Our team located a nearby dam, and it appears the beavers dug underground alongside the creek to reach our cable, which is buried about three feet underground and protected by a 4.5-inch thick conduit. The beavers first chewed through the conduit before chewing through the cable in multiple locations.”
The spokesperson shared the photo stating that you could see bits of fiber cable and marking tape that the beavers had used to help construct their house after tearing up the cable in a few places.
Luckily for nearby residents, internet service was fully restored by the afternoon, but cell service remained spotty until the cable was fully repaired.
Check out the video below about the massive intelligence that beavers possess!