The program is part of the Tribe’s efforts to improve beaver populations and ecosystems in Washington.
COWLITZ COUNTY, Wash. — Natural resources officials from the Cowlitz Tribe released a family of five beavers into a suitable wild habitat in southwest Washington near Gifford Pinchot National Forest May 28.
The four kits — who first met the world through the Tribe’s “Kit Cam” livestream — were born April 26, and will continue to stay with their mother for about two years.
“We’ve carefully selected this relocation site to provide plenty of food and cover for these beavers as they reintegrate into the wild and continue to grow,” said Jesse Burgher, Cowlitz Tribe wildlife program manager.
Going forward, the Tribe’s wildlife scientists will check in twice a year on the beaver family’s progress, assessing their occupancy and behavior in the area. The team also placed a few additional wildlife cameras around the site to provide updates on the individuals, added Burgher.
The data will help inform Tribal scientists about the success of its beaver relocation program, but will also add greater context to the beavers’ impact on habitat resilience and diversity.
The project is part of the Tribes’ ongoing efforts to restore beaver populations and improve habitat throughout Washington.
Once hunted for their fur and eradicated as nuisance animals, beavers serve a critical role in many Washington ecosystems: their dams improve water quality, create habitat for young fish and other wildlife, restore wetlands and reduce flooding by baffling and redirecting rivers.
However, beavers that decide to take up residence near humans can see conflict — so Cowlitz Tribe wildlife scientists have begun relocating individuals to more suitable habitat, then studying how those beavers change their new landscape.
The program is the largest of its kind in Washington state, according to the Cowlitz Tribe, relocating about 70 beavers annually from 20-30 family groups. Captured beavers are held for about seven to 10 days at the Tribe’s beaver husbandry facility and usually released in family groups, which is shown to improve relocation success, explained Madison Hitchcock, tribal communications manager.
To ensure diverse coverage and expert insight across a wide range of topics, our publication features contributions from multiple staff writers with varied areas of expertise.
