What has caused the decline in the beaver population?

[agongos]

.

[Mandolynn]

I think part of it is the maturation of the forest; I think beaver like young trees. Once a ranger told me a forest fire would help the beaver population. Which would in turn help the moose population, as they like to browse in beaver ponds.

I also think that when moose get scarcer, wolves will eat beaver, but I don't know if that's a significant factor on IR.

[Ingo]

I also think that when moose get scarcer, wolves will eat beaver, but I don't know if that's a significant factor on IR.

I heard that from Candy Peterson a few years ago.

[greg]

I think the answers given are right on the mark. Changing habitat and greater pressure from wolves have significantly reduced the beaver population. In fact, I haven't seen a beaver on the island in a couple years although there still are some out and about. Greg R.

[rudemark]

Although there may a number of contributing factors, wolf predation is most certainly a major one. Historically beaver nested yearly in and around Fishermans Home, until about 2000, when the beaver house was found to have been "dug out" over the winter. Beaver have not been there since. In addition, beaver dams have been disappearing on IR streams, eg; Hay Bay Creek, thus losing brook trout habitat. While I'm on the subject of brook trout; if NPS has determined that brook trout population is threatened on IRNP why would they allow catch and release? Regardless of barbless hooks some are not going to survive - much better to allow catch and keep one, or no stream fishing for brookies at all.