California's beaver celebrity 'Baxter' has locals swapping sightings and cheering his dam work

Along Murrieta Creek in Wildomar, California, residents have taken a liking to a beaver, sharing updates on sightings and cheering as the animal works on a dam.

The Orange County Register reported that the beaver, known as Baxter, has become one of Wildomar's best-known residents.

Here's what to know

Baxter's profile in town took off after Will Mattox posted a video of Murrieta Creek to the GoWildomar Facebook page he started in April 2025.

He captioned it, "Baxter the Beaver! Did you know Wildomar has its very own beaver damming things up in our local creek?"

Replies included comments such as, "New mascot?" and "What a cutie!!!!!!"

Mattox said the attention has kept expanding, eventually leading to a Facebook page devoted to Baxter and stickers sold at local events through the sticker company he owns with his wife.

Wildomar Mayor Carlos Marquez has joined in on the fun as well, saying he plans in August to name Baxter an honorary addition to the city's public works team.

"If anyone deserves honorary public works status, it's Baxter," Marquez said. "He truly gives a dam about our community."

More background

The attention surrounding Baxter is new, but beavers have been around Wildomar for some time.

Rudy Mena, an environmental scientist at the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, said Wildomar has seen "resilient beavers" despite decades of development.

He added that their dams can have "positive ecological impacts without changing the overall flow of the creeks themselves."

Mattox said he chose the name Baxter simply because "it just sounded funny," and it remains unclear whether Baxter is male or female — or whether there may be more than one beaver.

Some locals have said they spotted babies, though no one has confirmed that with photos.

Amateur photographer Chris Varney has spent about a year trying to document Baxter and estimates he has logged roughly 50 hours waiting for the right shot at dawn or dusk, when beavers are most active.

"It takes a lot of effort, whether it's going on hikes or sitting in the same spot for hours on end," he said.

What's being done?

Not everyone has welcomed the attention.

Mattox said some people accused him of "doxxing" the beaver by drawing more attention to Murrieta Creek.

He argued that the added visibility could actually help protect the animal, especially since Baxter had already been appearing in local forums for years.

"I thought that it might be best if he had more popularity, then he would be protected by more people," Mattox said, comparing the idea to the public support surrounding Big Bear's famous bald eagles Jackie and Shadow.

Varney said he has also faced criticism for posting his photos, though he understands the concern and sees it as coming "out of protection" for the beaver.

"One of the things I love most about our community is that we care about each other and never pass up the chance to share a laugh," Marquez said. "This is all about celebrating what makes our community special."

Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.