The Dolores River canyonlands is one of the most diverse wildlands in Colorado. This week, meet the beavers, one of the wild residents of the canyonlands.
Beavers, the largest rodents in North America, are a species native to Colorado. They are extremely active near waterways and a crucial part of the Dolores River Canyonlands ecosystem. They cut aspens, willows, and other trees using their long chisel-like incisors which helps these trees regenerate and flourish.
These intelligent habitat engineers are seen as an inconvenience, but the dams they build help create wetlands, expanding livable territory for other animals and plants. The beaver population of Colorado has never recovered from its 19th century depletion where beavers were hunted and sold for their fur. We must protect this keystone inhabitant of the Dolores River Canyons and Colorado’s native wildlife.
The future of the Dolores River Canyon Country is uncertain--imperiled by the long-term impacts of climate change and by the threat of development, including renewed interest in mining.
