How Parachuting Beavers Helped Restore Idaho's Wilderness in 1948
By
Michael Natale
Summary
The article tells the fascinating true story of how, in 1948, Idaho wildlife manager Elmo W. Heter solved the problem of relocating beavers to remote wilderness areas by devising a system to parachute them in custom crates. After a test run with a beaver named Geronimo, the "Parachuting Beavers" project successfully air-dropped 76 beavers into Idaho's backcountry, helping restore watersheds and wilderness ecosystems. The story has since become a beloved piece of American conservation lore.
Source
Twitter / XHow Parachuting Beavers Helped Restore Idaho's Wilderness in 1948popularmechanics.comKey quotes
· 3 pulledElmo W. Heter had a problem: beavers were dying during overland relocations. His solution? Custom crates, surplus parachutes, and a very patient test beaver.
You're hoisted up again, only to be hurled from the craft into the empty sky. Now you're descending back to the ground.
Today, they're furry legends.
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