The latest Southern Arizona beaver population count is in for the San Pedro River, and the numbers are low but holding steady.
It's hard to believe that the North American beaver was once so ubiquitous in Southern Arizona that fur trappers in the 1800s used to refer to the San Pedro as Beaver River.But beavers have made a comeback in recent decades, albeit a modest one, according to the latest count by the nonprofit Watershed Management Group.
People are also reading… They don’t know what is causing the decline, Shipek said, but it demonstrates how vital data collection and surveys are to understand how the beavers are doing. Beavers can be beneficial to natural ecosystems because the dams they build slow the flow of rivers and creeks, curbing erosion and allowing water to spread out and hydrate larger areas.
The 47-mile-long river preserve is home to 350 species of birds and 82 mammals, including the largest rodent in North America. Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | Omny Studio Then there is habitat loss due to wayward livestock in the conservation area. Foster said cattle tend to eat the same understory vegetation that beavers rely on for food.
Cyndi Tuell is the Arizona and New Mexico director for the environmental group Western Watersheds Project. She also volunteered during the beaver survey. She said ranchers are not allowed to let their cattle trespass in the conservation area, but the BLM doesn't do much to enforce those rules. The group is also sharing the results of its beaver survey with the BLM, which grants the organization a research permit to conduct the count.
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