After years of decline, beaver are returning to Yellowstone Park. Before and after wolves were reintroduced, it was predicted that by clearing elk of the the dying willow patches, the willows would grow and beavers come back. While the cause of beaver coming back is not certain, it is in line with predictions made over ten years ago.
Author
Dr. Ralph Maughan is professor emeritus of political science at Idaho State University. He was a Western Watersheds Project Board Member off and on for many years, and was also its President for several years. For a long time he produced Ralph Maughan’s Wolf Report. He was a founder of the Greater Yellowstone Coalition. He and Jackie Johnson Maughan wrote three editions of “Hiking Idaho.” He also wrote “Beyond the Tetons” and “Backpacking Wyoming’s Teton and Washakie Wilderness.” He created and is the administrator of The Wildlife News.