Idaho Parachuted 76 Beavers Out of Airplanes — And It Actually Worked

Idaho Parachuted 76 Beavers Out of Airplanes — And It Actually Worked In 1948, Idaho packed 76 live beavers into wooden boxes, tied them to war-surplus parachutes, and dropped them over the central Idaho backcountry, and 75 of them landed safely. In this video, you'll see how Fish and Game officer Elmo Heter turned a beaver problem near McCall into a backcountry relocation, built a box that sprang open on landing, and tested it on an old male named Geronimo who learned to climb back in on his own. You'll also learn how the lost film Fur for the Future turned up in 2014, what fake beaver dams did for steelhead at Bridge Creek, why beaver zones stayed green through Western wildfires, how satellites now help pick release sites, and where beaver relocation has spread since. Sources: Idaho Fish and Game, Idaho State Archives, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Forest Service, NPR, NASA, Boise State University #Beavers #Idaho #WildlifeRelocation #Rewilding #WesternWildlife #Wildlife