Parachuted beavers create lasting ecosystem benefits in Idaho

The Idaho Department of Fish and Game relocated 76 beavers by parachute into a remote wilderness area in Idaho in 1948.

Wildlife managers faced a dilemma when beavers near McCall and Lake Payette flooded private orchards and irrigation systems. Instead of culling the animals, officials decided to move them to the Chamberlain Basin, a secluded area where they could create natural wetlands.

Wildlife agent Elmo Heter developed a method to transport the rodents because the remote basin was inaccessible by car. After mule and horse transport attempts failed due to heat and stress, Heter used military parachutes from the Second World War. He tested the system with a male beaver named Géronimo, eventually designing wooden compartments that released automatically upon landing. The operation successfully moved the animals, and 75 of the 76 beavers survived the initial drop.

These beavers and their descendants have spent decades building dams that have created permanent wetlands, reduced bank erosion, and provided habitats for fish, insects, and birds. Steve Liebenthal of the Idaho Fish and Game confirmed that these populations remain stable and continue to shape the waterways today. Recent observations show that these dams offer protection against climate change impacts. During a 2018 fire at Baugh Creek, areas with high beaver activity remained green because the dams retained water.

Researchers suggest that this natural engineering can help maintain vegetation during droughts and protect landscapes from wildfires.