
Parachuting Beavers into Idaho's Wilderness? Yes, It Really Happened (2015) - snaily
http://www.boisestatepublicradio.org/post/parachuting-beavers-idahos-wilderness-yes-it-really-happened
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mattferderer
At least they had parachutes. Fish just get thrown off the plane -
[https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/10/aerial-fish-
stocki...](https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/10/aerial-fish-stocking-
utah_n_5574768.html)

~~~
24gttghh
Pioneered in Maine btw! The fish seem to do just fine[0][1]. At the end of
video I've linked you'll notice they'll dump them out after landing if
possible.[2]

>Department biologists using scuba gear have had trout dropped around them and
observed as the fish hit the water and swam away. The biologists report that
most of the trout easily survive their aerial drop without injury or harm.[0]

>The Aviation Division also supports the bureau's resource management efforts
through aerial fish stocking and various data collection efforts. Aerial
stocking is the least stressful method of delivering live trout and salmon to
_inaccessible or distant locations_ , Maine's Warden Pilots release more than
182,000 of them — over 28,000 lbs. — into 195+ lakes and ponds each year.[1]

[0][https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-
news/2006/may/01/tro...](https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-
news/2006/may/01/trout-raining-from-the-skies)

[1][https://www.maine.gov/ifw/warden-service/specialty-
teams.htm...](https://www.maine.gov/ifw/warden-service/specialty-
teams.html#aviation)

[2][https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYAwaf4CBj4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYAwaf4CBj4)

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bryanrasmussen
As god is my witness I thought beavers could fly.

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bynkman
We shall not forget the Cincinnati Turkey Tragedy...

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mabbo
I suspect the program wouldn't last long once they realized the beavers would
"come back". Not the same ones, but new ones to the same place they removed
them from.

Beavers move too wherever they can find a 'good' spot to build a dam and
lodge. If your back yard is such a spot, beavers will move in. As the article
says, the right solution is to find ways to live with them.

In my childhood home, the big pond behind our house (maybe 200ft across?)
existed because of a big beaver dam. Generations of beavers maintained it.
We'd lose a tree or two occasionally, but well worth the benefits.

~~~
debacle
Why beavers make dams is very interesting - they tend to instinctively build
at the site of the sound (beavers are nearly blind) of running water. Canadian
wildlife management has used this knowledge to trick beavers into not building
dams where it would be inconvenient for highway management.

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bentaber
There's a nicely illustrated children's book written about this called __The
Skydiving Beavers
__:[https://sleepingbearpress.com/shop/show/11751](https://sleepingbearpress.com/shop/show/11751)

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gadders
Previous discussion:
[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10438240](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10438240)

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rdc12
A follow on article that includes a video of the drop can be found here -
[http://www.boisestatepublicradio.org/post/remember-
parachuti...](http://www.boisestatepublicradio.org/post/remember-parachuting-
beavers-story-now-theres-video#stream/0)

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pacuna
At least they didn't just think of killing them like here in Chile.

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linuxlizard
Here in Boise, you can get some fun Beaver shirts.

