Researchers relocate beavers to restore degraded rivers in Utah desert

Researchers from the University of Utah relocated 47 beavers to the Price and San Rafael rivers in Utah to restore degraded desert waterways.

The rivers had suffered from years of irrigation channels and drought, which flattened riverbeds and removed wood, harming protected native fish. The project aimed to use the beavers' natural dam-building behavior to create ponds and wetlands where water stays longer during dry periods. The study, which included the U.S.

Geological Survey and the Bureau of Reclamation, found that many relocated beavers died or left the area. Out of the relocated adults, only about 26 survived the first eight weeks, while only about 9 percent of the relocated juveniles remained. The animals behaved like young beavers seeking new territory, wandering an average of 20 kilometers from their release points and facing threats from predators. Despite the high mortality and movement, the project resulted in more dams along the rivers.

Researchers identified five new dams in an early 2020 report, though they could not confirm which specific beavers built them. To keep the animals in place, officials also installed 70 artificial dams made of logs and branches on the Price river. Researchers concluded that while relocation involves high losses, it remains a better option than culling and can eventually create permanent populations if releases are timed with water levels.