Using beaver to create wetlands and improve riparian habitat in Wyoming.

Authors(s): S. Anderson and M. McKinstry

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Publication Date: 0000-00-00

Type: Annual, Completed Project

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Abstract: Through their dam building activities, beaver store water, trap sediment, subirrigate vegetation, and subsequently improve habitat for fish, wildlife, and livestock. Many landowners realize the benefits that beaver can bring to a riparian area and are interested in using them to improve riparian habitat. Beginning in 1993 we introduced beaver to 14 areas throughout Wyoming. Our goal was to use beaver to improve riparian habitat and create wetlands. We trapped and relocated 285 beaver during six years. Predation and emigration accounted for the loss of 38% and 51% of telemetered beaver throughout the study, respectively. Our results show that 1) trapping and moving beaver needs to be done within a short period of time, generally 5 days, 2) beaver need to be introduced in large numbers (i.e. > 5 animals for each introduction site) to compensate for high predation and emigration losses, 3) follow-up introductions need to be done once beaver become established, 4) spring and fall releases tend to be equally successful although animals released in the fall remain nearer to the release sites when starting to build dams, 5) beaver introductions can be successful in a wide variety of habitats including some that are not considered primary beaver habitat (i.e. scrub oak habitat in the Black Hills), 6) wildlife response (e.g. cutthroat trout, moose, waterfowl, elk, and waterbirds) to newly created habitat was almost immediate at all introduction sites, and 7) a large amount of interest was generated from the project especially from private landowners. Many future introduction sites were identified through this project and the Wyoming Game and Fish Department is planning to continue beaver introductions through a contract-trapping program using our guidelines.

Keywords: Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, University of Wyoming, American beaver, beaver, Castor canadensis, Castoridae, Wyoming Game and Fish, radio collar, habitat, animal, livestock, mammal, rodent, Rodentia, moose, Alces alces, Cervidae, elk, Cervus elaphus, wapiti, fish, ichthyology, Pisces, Salmonidae, trout, cutthroat trout, Oncorhynchus clarki , bird, ornithology, Aves, waterbird, duck, goose, swan, Anatidae