The activities of beavers (Castor canadensis) provide a variety of benefits to stream systems by capturing and storing water and sediment, expanding riparian habitats, and increasing habitat heterogeneity. Understandably, land and wildlife managers are increasingly interested in implementing beaver restoration projects with the goal of improving stream health and landscape water storage capacity. However, most research on habitat selection by beavers does not address factors affecting successful colony establishment in novel areas. We radio-marked juvenile beavers and conducted beaver activity surveys in streams in the upper Gallatin and Madison River drainages in southwest Montana to investigate dispersal, survival, and settlement site selection. Our goal is to improve the ability of managers to identify suitable sites for beaver restoration that have the highest probability of successful colony establishment and associated habitat improvements. We examined the influence of habitat variables related to hydrology, geomorphology, vegetation, and local beaver colony densities on the probability a stream segment would be settled by dispersing beavers. Additionally, we modeled the probability of survival and dispersal of radio-marked beavers as functions of body mass and sex, as well as natal colony size, habitat quality, and local colony densities to assess additional factors that may influence the ability of beavers to occupy new territories. Results of these modeling efforts will be presented and management recommendations will be provided as they relate to beaver reintroduction and restoration projects in the western United States.
Oral presentation and poster titles, abstracts, and authors from the Society for Range Management (SRM) Annual Meetings and Tradeshows, from 2013 forward.