We have beavers in the park! There are seven beaver dams, ponds and one lodge along Strawberry Creek inside the park boundary. In order to verify beaver activity, resource management is trying to photograph the beavers at the main beaver pond. This may be a challenge since beavers are nocturnal animals. They build and repair their dams every evening, replacing damaged sticks and patting on more mud. Beavers are equipped with many adaptations that allow them to dive and remain comfortable underwater, making them even more elusive. Even their lodges are entered through the water.

Beavers are considered to be a keystone species, since their existence shows that conditions are right for many other species to live nearby. Beaver ponds play several different roles, from helping forest succession to creating habitat for fish and amphibians. The presence of beavers leads to many interesting questions: Are beavers a native species to this area? Will the presence of beavers in Strawberry Creek help the recently introduced Bonneville cutthroat trout population? These questions will hopefully be answered in the near future.

Stephanie Leslie works on the Aquatics Crew.