FWS employee setting beaver trap in National
Wildlife Refuge. Photo: Hollingsworth, John and Karen, USFWS |
Beavers are the
largest rodent in North America and play an important role in
nature by creating and expanding wetlands, while enhancing habitat
for many types of animals. Because of this they are considered
to be a “keystone” species. When beavers are removed
from an area, significant changes occur such as a decrease in
habitat quality. Many endangered species, like the southwestern
willow flycatcher, rely greatly on the presence of beaver habitat.
At one time, beavers could be found in most permanent rivers and
streams in New Mexico.1 However, when Europeans colonized North
America, beavers were trapped extensively for their fur and many
wetlands were drained for farmland.2 By the 1850’s, beavers
had been eliminated from much of their former range. Today, most
of New Mexico’s beavers can be found in the northern, mountainous
areas of the state. There are no current population estimates
for beavers in New Mexico; the most recent, from 1967, gives an
estimate of 5,500-6,0003.
Beavers are second only to humans in their ability to alter the
landscape. Because of this, and because humans often live near
beaver habitat, conflicts can arise. For example, beavers build
dams that may cause flooding of roads, yards, or crops. Complaints
regarding “problem” animals are often lodged with
the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish (NMDGF) or Wildlife
Services (WS). Unfortunately, these agencies respond to virtually
all complaints by killing the offending animals and non-lethal
methods are rarely used; in fiscal year 2001, NMDGF and WS killed
a total of 204 beavers.
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Live trapping and relocating beavers
is not, in most cases, a suitable solution because the family
unit may be split up, animals may be released in an area where
they cannot survive, or other beavers may simply move into the
vacated areas. However, other alternatives exist. The most humane
and effective way to solve beaver problems involves tricking them.
Beavers cause flooding because they are driven to build dams anywhere
they hear running water. However, flow devices made from PVC pipe
or wire mesh can be installed in dammed areas to allow water to
pass through, while beavers build to their heart’s content.
Currently New Mexico’s wildlife agencies are not routinely
installing water flow devices as a means of dealing with beaver
complaints. APNM plans to promote the use of non-lethal alternatives
to wildlife agencies for addressing beaver problems. The installation
of flow devices has the potential to be a time- and cost-effective
solution that could yield positive results for both beavers and
humans.
For more information on flow devices and other humane ways to
live with beavers, contact Debbie Risberg, at 265-2322, or email.
1
See NMDGF’s Biota Information System at http://fwie.fw.vt.edu/states/nmex_main/species/050115.htm.
2 Beavers: Wetlands & Wildlife. 2000. “How to control
beaver flooding,” at www.BeaversWW.org. 3 See supra note
1.
