Geotagged beaver

Emma Doden, Utah Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit graduate, assessed the efficacy of translocating beavers to desert restoration sites. Beavers are ecosystem engineers, can serve as a cost-effective, natural alternative to human restoration efforts, and are especially important to arid western ecosystems. Emma translocated beavers which are removed from conflict situations where they are considered a nuisance by humans. They are relocated to the Price and San Rafael Rivers in Eastern Utah for use as restoration tools in the degraded desert waterways. Emma compared the movement rates, survival rates, and dam-building activity of translocated beavers to beavers occurring in the rivers naturally. Emma research will help to improve strategies for beaver-assisted restoration and help to broaden understanding around the complexities of wildlife translocation.