Tenino has a lot of beavers, especially at the high school. Now, two more are making Tenino their home.
After one year of constant care at the PAWS Wildlife Center in Lynnwood, the two beavers are ready to live on their own.
The beavers first came to PAWS in April, each weighing less than a pound. They had to learn everything from how to swim to how to eat.
This week, wildlife workers drove them 90 miles to Tenino to set them up in an idyllic pond. They're getting a little help in their new neighborhood, moving into a pre-built lodge stocked with their first meals.
Dondi Byrne was the beavers' main caretaker.
"It's pretty exciting," she said after transferring the beavers from a travel carrier into the lodge. "You're just nervous to make this release go well."
After a short wait, she got the payoff. One beaver emerged from the lodge to peek out of the water. It eventually moved around to the back to a shaded spot
Byrne expected the animals to feel safe.