- Hope Sawyer Buyukmihci (b. 1913) privately maintains the 300-acre Unexpected Wildlife Refuge in New Jersey. She and her husband Cavit obtained the land in 1961 and must patrol constantly to keep out hunters. Hope, a vegetarian who uses no animal products, encourages the return and growth of many now rare indigenous species at the refuge. The beavers who thrive there are the focus of her educational club, the Beaver Defenders. A full-time animal protectionist, she actively opposes all hunting and trapping. She has written 3 books, has a newspaper column, and lectures widely on wildlife. She is among the experts who believe that the great hydraulic engineering skills of beavers would, if permitted, keep all our waterways at proper levels, minimizing flood and drought. They also help prevent forest fires and soil erosion, and their ponds attract and encourage other forms of wildlife.
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