1 00:00:19,280 --> 00:00:23,440 To many, this picturesque town appears a rural idyll. 2 00:00:26,400 --> 00:00:29,840 A living evocation of the American frontier spirit. 3 00:00:37,640 --> 00:00:40,840 But it's also a town under siege. 4 00:01:03,480 --> 00:01:06,280 Unseen, operating largely at night, 5 00:01:06,280 --> 00:01:09,720 an interloper from the wild is creating havoc. 6 00:01:17,240 --> 00:01:20,280 It is a conflict between nature and civilisation. 7 00:01:20,280 --> 00:01:23,320 I planted this tree, I loved this tree, it was beautiful, 8 00:01:23,320 --> 00:01:26,200 it had really pretty flowers in the springtime. 9 00:01:26,200 --> 00:01:28,040 Busy beaver. Yeah, he sure is. 10 00:01:28,040 --> 00:01:30,240 WOOD CRACKS 11 00:01:30,240 --> 00:01:32,040 The culprit is... 12 00:01:32,040 --> 00:01:33,560 the beaver. 13 00:01:41,000 --> 00:01:44,840 They can create quite a bit of damage, one way or another. 14 00:01:45,880 --> 00:01:47,920 Whether felling trees... 15 00:01:49,880 --> 00:01:54,040 ..or damming up waterways, they cause chaos. 16 00:01:54,040 --> 00:01:56,840 It took one or two nights, 17 00:01:56,840 --> 00:01:59,040 and everything was almost wiped out. 18 00:02:00,200 --> 00:02:03,280 When that happens, tempers get frayed. GUN IS COCKED 19 00:02:03,280 --> 00:02:06,040 I think a lot of people shoot them. 20 00:02:06,040 --> 00:02:07,160 GUNSHOT 21 00:02:07,160 --> 00:02:09,560 And there seems no end in sight. 22 00:02:09,560 --> 00:02:14,840 It's become an issue because we never had a way of remedying that 23 00:02:14,840 --> 00:02:17,920 without either removing them or... 24 00:02:17,920 --> 00:02:19,320 killing them. 25 00:02:22,760 --> 00:02:26,320 With humans and beavers living in such close proximity, 26 00:02:26,320 --> 00:02:28,520 is there no answer to... 27 00:02:28,520 --> 00:02:30,960 beavers behaving badly? 28 00:02:32,520 --> 00:02:36,120 We'll be back, and we'll just keep spinning our wheels 29 00:02:36,120 --> 00:02:38,480 until there can be a final resolution. 30 00:02:38,480 --> 00:02:40,960 George Richert for the Ten O'Clock News. 31 00:02:52,400 --> 00:02:54,080 BIRDS TWEET 32 00:03:02,040 --> 00:03:06,200 The magnificent Teton Mountains in Wyoming 33 00:03:06,200 --> 00:03:09,920 overlook one of America's great wilderness treasure troves... 34 00:03:11,400 --> 00:03:13,960 ..the Grand Teton National Park. 35 00:03:31,760 --> 00:03:33,480 With spring around the corner, 36 00:03:33,480 --> 00:03:35,680 soon it'll be thronging with tourists... 37 00:03:37,920 --> 00:03:42,360 ..enticed by the stunning scenery, and tantalised by the prospect 38 00:03:42,360 --> 00:03:46,840 of a close encounter with some of America's most iconic species. 39 00:03:54,640 --> 00:03:58,080 But with winter's icy grip still evident, 40 00:03:58,080 --> 00:04:01,280 the Park remains the preserve of its wildlife. 41 00:04:07,560 --> 00:04:10,840 And the thaw cues the appearance... 42 00:04:11,840 --> 00:04:13,680 ..of beavers. 43 00:04:35,960 --> 00:04:39,840 These aquatic rodent rascals have spent the long winter months 44 00:04:39,840 --> 00:04:41,960 holed up inside their lodges. 45 00:04:44,080 --> 00:04:47,200 Only slipping out to retrieve branches 46 00:04:47,200 --> 00:04:49,800 and twigs from their underwater food caches. 47 00:04:58,800 --> 00:05:00,960 With supplies almost at an end, 48 00:05:00,960 --> 00:05:04,960 they take the opportunity to pilfer fresh shoots and branches. 49 00:05:10,240 --> 00:05:12,840 But even now the clock is ticking. 50 00:05:14,080 --> 00:05:16,760 Soon, young adults will be run out of the lodge 51 00:05:16,760 --> 00:05:18,800 to make their own way in the world. 52 00:05:20,400 --> 00:05:23,280 They'll have just six months to find a mate, 53 00:05:23,280 --> 00:05:27,320 establish their own homes, and build a food supply big enough 54 00:05:27,320 --> 00:05:30,520 to sustain them through Wyoming's long, cold winter. 55 00:05:40,200 --> 00:05:44,520 Fortunately, for these beavers, just a few miles downstream, 56 00:05:44,520 --> 00:05:47,680 is a ready supply of well-established trees and 57 00:05:47,680 --> 00:05:52,520 unoccupied ponds, just waiting to be colonised by an enterprising animal. 58 00:06:11,000 --> 00:06:13,880 It's called Jackson Hole. 59 00:06:19,360 --> 00:06:23,200 The problem is Jackson Hole's existing residents aren't 60 00:06:23,200 --> 00:06:27,840 necessarily keen on sharing space with these furry invaders. 61 00:06:27,840 --> 00:06:30,800 Beavers can do an awful lot of damage very quickly. 62 00:06:30,800 --> 00:06:33,000 It's amazing what they can do in one night. 63 00:06:33,000 --> 00:06:35,760 In financial terms, I think the beavers are costing me 64 00:06:35,760 --> 00:06:37,520 between 8,000 to 10,000. 65 00:06:37,520 --> 00:06:42,160 We've either got to figure out how to live with them, or we need to... 66 00:06:43,160 --> 00:06:44,480 ..exterminate them. 67 00:06:49,960 --> 00:06:53,280 The town revels in its Wild West heritage 68 00:06:53,280 --> 00:06:56,880 and given it was named after a 19th century beaver trapper, 69 00:06:56,880 --> 00:07:01,360 you might imagine the response to an invasion of troublesome beavers 70 00:07:01,360 --> 00:07:04,640 would be a run on ammunition in the local gun store. 71 00:07:04,640 --> 00:07:06,440 GUN IS COCKED 72 00:07:07,800 --> 00:07:09,720 Well, not exactly. 73 00:07:09,720 --> 00:07:11,200 GUN IS UNCOCKED 74 00:07:13,200 --> 00:07:18,680 Jackson boasts its own beaver buster, Drew Reid. 75 00:07:23,840 --> 00:07:28,280 Like a Wild West sheriff, Drew is tasked with sorting out 76 00:07:28,280 --> 00:07:31,840 any conflict between humans and beavers. 77 00:07:38,040 --> 00:07:42,120 People start noticing damage when things start falling out here, 78 00:07:42,120 --> 00:07:44,520 the beavers start getting a little more active 79 00:07:44,520 --> 00:07:46,880 and they don't want it to get out of hand. 80 00:07:46,880 --> 00:07:49,920 So that's when I come in and try to help them out. 81 00:07:49,920 --> 00:07:52,880 One of the worst cases of beaver damage I've ever seen was 82 00:07:52,880 --> 00:07:56,280 a property that had been unattended for a couple of weeks, 83 00:07:56,280 --> 00:07:59,120 and when I showed up to take a look at the damage, 84 00:07:59,120 --> 00:08:02,080 there were approximately 50 very large trees down. 85 00:08:02,080 --> 00:08:04,000 It was basically beaver Armageddon. 86 00:08:09,440 --> 00:08:13,160 Drew's usual solution is to humanely trap problem beavers 87 00:08:13,160 --> 00:08:16,640 before relocating them to wilderness areas around Jackson. 88 00:08:18,400 --> 00:08:21,000 And with spring knocking on his door... 89 00:08:22,640 --> 00:08:25,920 ..he's getting ready for the phone to start ringing. 90 00:08:25,920 --> 00:08:28,800 So, this is where my traps have been sitting all winter 91 00:08:28,800 --> 00:08:31,480 to stay away from other scents that can get on 92 00:08:31,480 --> 00:08:33,600 and cause some issues when we're trapping. 93 00:08:33,600 --> 00:08:37,160 These are kind of my designated beaver gloves, if you will, 94 00:08:37,160 --> 00:08:40,520 and we try to remember to wear our gloves every time 95 00:08:40,520 --> 00:08:42,880 so we don't get our own scent on here. 96 00:08:42,880 --> 00:08:46,040 It may not be that big of an issue, but we just don't take any chances. 97 00:08:47,280 --> 00:08:51,120 Before going on duty, Drew likes to make sure his equipment 98 00:08:51,120 --> 00:08:53,520 is in proper working order. 99 00:08:53,520 --> 00:08:55,680 Let's get this thing set. 100 00:08:55,680 --> 00:08:59,360 Known as suitcase traps, these devices snap closed 101 00:08:59,360 --> 00:09:03,160 around the beaver, encasing it in a steel mesh cage. 102 00:09:04,760 --> 00:09:08,520 But if the springs are rusty or the trigger catches, the trap could 103 00:09:08,520 --> 00:09:13,680 malfunction, potentially injuring the beaver or allowing it to escape. 104 00:09:15,120 --> 00:09:16,480 Let's test this guy out, 105 00:09:16,480 --> 00:09:18,960 make sure it's strong enough to work for us this year. 106 00:09:20,600 --> 00:09:22,360 I like that, that's strong enough. 107 00:09:23,520 --> 00:09:26,320 A lot of people comment on how violent these traps are, 108 00:09:26,320 --> 00:09:28,440 but it's better than a bullet in the head. 109 00:09:36,960 --> 00:09:39,920 Drew isn't the only person in Jackson whose workload 110 00:09:39,920 --> 00:09:42,360 is altered by the beaver's emergence. 111 00:09:44,400 --> 00:09:49,040 Wildlife cameraman Jeff Hogan has been filming beavers for 30 years. 112 00:09:50,520 --> 00:09:54,560 And the spring thaw is his cue to check up on some old friends. 113 00:09:59,120 --> 00:10:03,640 This is one of my favourite beaver ponds. It's really old. 114 00:10:03,640 --> 00:10:07,480 It's just this giant lodge down there, under the pond, 115 00:10:07,480 --> 00:10:08,920 a beautiful big dam 116 00:10:08,920 --> 00:10:12,640 that makes a beautiful big pond that runs off to the North. 117 00:10:13,680 --> 00:10:17,760 The Tetons make up a wonderful backdrop, 118 00:10:17,760 --> 00:10:21,000 and the light here is just stunning in the evening. 119 00:10:22,280 --> 00:10:24,880 This dam is the sexiest dam out of the lot. 120 00:10:28,360 --> 00:10:32,480 My favourite angle, you know, is to shoot nice and low 121 00:10:32,480 --> 00:10:35,680 so that you're eye-to-eye to the beaver. 122 00:10:35,680 --> 00:10:37,480 It's a wonderful perspective. 123 00:10:39,880 --> 00:10:44,520 Like most cameramen, Jeff knows that filming wildlife is a waiting game. 124 00:10:52,520 --> 00:10:54,880 We've got a beaver right over here. 125 00:10:54,880 --> 00:10:56,440 He's just surfaced. 126 00:11:00,880 --> 00:11:03,240 Oh, wow! There you go. 127 00:11:05,240 --> 00:11:08,320 They're the largest rodents in North America. 128 00:11:09,320 --> 00:11:12,680 But, even so, they're shy, wary creatures that like to 129 00:11:12,680 --> 00:11:15,640 stick to the protective environment of their pond. 130 00:11:20,200 --> 00:11:24,240 They generally don't come out until just before dusk. 131 00:11:25,560 --> 00:11:28,160 And it's only once night has fallen... 132 00:11:28,160 --> 00:11:29,600 BEAVER MUNCHES ON TREE 133 00:11:29,600 --> 00:11:31,360 ..that they really get to work. 134 00:11:42,880 --> 00:11:46,080 They slip back to the lodge around dawn. 135 00:11:46,080 --> 00:11:49,280 So, often the only visible sign of a beaver's presence... 136 00:11:50,400 --> 00:11:52,440 ..is the clues it leaves behind. 137 00:11:55,760 --> 00:11:58,480 But there's always the exception. 138 00:12:02,240 --> 00:12:03,840 It's midday. 139 00:12:06,520 --> 00:12:09,840 Drew's been called out by a caretaker who's concerned 140 00:12:09,840 --> 00:12:13,000 about the sudden appearance of a beaver on one of his properties. 141 00:12:14,400 --> 00:12:17,240 Looks like me in the morning. Yeah! 142 00:12:17,240 --> 00:12:18,600 THEY LAUGH 143 00:12:18,600 --> 00:12:23,440 The property is surrounded with young aspen and cottonwood trees. 144 00:12:23,440 --> 00:12:27,680 It's all very tempting for beavers, given they survive almost 145 00:12:27,680 --> 00:12:31,920 exclusively on a diet of twigs, leaves, and tree bark. 146 00:12:31,920 --> 00:12:35,120 You know, they've been relying on their food caches 147 00:12:35,120 --> 00:12:39,880 all winter long, chewing on old bark, and this fresh vegetation, 148 00:12:39,880 --> 00:12:41,840 probably like candy to these guys. 149 00:12:44,320 --> 00:12:47,960 The landowner has wrapped a lot of his trees to protect them. 150 00:12:49,920 --> 00:12:53,360 But even that won't put off a really determined rodent. 151 00:12:57,040 --> 00:13:00,680 They damage the landscaping, they kill a lot of trees, 152 00:13:00,680 --> 00:13:02,120 they plug up the outlets 153 00:13:02,120 --> 00:13:04,920 so that the water level comes up and floods the yard. 154 00:13:04,920 --> 00:13:08,520 The last batch of beavers we had in this pond probably 155 00:13:08,520 --> 00:13:11,040 did 10,000 damage overnight. 156 00:13:11,040 --> 00:13:14,400 I think I'll go ahead and set most of these traps on this pond. 157 00:13:36,160 --> 00:13:39,320 Most homeowners want any interloping beavers trapped 158 00:13:39,320 --> 00:13:41,720 and relocated as soon as possible. 159 00:13:43,320 --> 00:13:46,160 Especially if they're as brazen as this one. 160 00:13:46,160 --> 00:13:49,200 I've never seen one quite that indifferent before. 161 00:13:55,160 --> 00:13:57,960 To increase the chances of a successful capture, 162 00:13:57,960 --> 00:14:00,040 Drew camouflages the trap... 163 00:14:01,440 --> 00:14:04,080 He's watching me right now do this. 164 00:14:04,080 --> 00:14:08,000 ..before baiting it with a scent lure. 165 00:14:08,000 --> 00:14:12,400 The lure is designed to draw the target in through sheer curiosity. 166 00:14:14,000 --> 00:14:16,560 It mimics the smell another beaver would make 167 00:14:16,560 --> 00:14:18,800 when marking its territory with... 168 00:14:19,760 --> 00:14:22,160 ..a urine-based paste. 169 00:14:22,160 --> 00:14:24,080 How vile does that stuff smell? 170 00:14:25,880 --> 00:14:27,760 HE SNIFFS Mm. 171 00:14:27,760 --> 00:14:30,360 It's not too bad. No. But it's pungent. 172 00:14:30,360 --> 00:14:32,560 I love the smell of this stuff. 173 00:14:32,560 --> 00:14:35,320 Whether the lure will work with this beaver 174 00:14:35,320 --> 00:14:37,080 is another matter altogether. 175 00:14:38,160 --> 00:14:41,760 Exposing itself like this in the middle of the day 176 00:14:41,760 --> 00:14:44,360 is distinctly un-beaver-like behaviour. 177 00:14:44,360 --> 00:14:46,040 Did you train this beaver? 178 00:14:46,040 --> 00:14:49,280 Yes, my radio-controlled beaver. I got it here for you. 179 00:14:49,280 --> 00:14:52,840 LAUGHTER 180 00:14:52,840 --> 00:14:56,800 A second trap should increase Drew's chances of a capture. 181 00:14:59,080 --> 00:15:02,640 Although this beaver appears underwhelmed. 182 00:15:02,640 --> 00:15:07,400 This might be his way of saying, "Yeah, right(!) Nice traps." 183 00:15:07,400 --> 00:15:10,360 "I've seen those before!" Yeah, exactly! 184 00:15:11,680 --> 00:15:13,520 Sure you want to move him? 185 00:15:18,080 --> 00:15:19,960 See you in the morning, beave. 186 00:15:23,040 --> 00:15:25,840 Adult beavers are very difficult to age 187 00:15:25,840 --> 00:15:30,840 and almost impossible to sex without a very intimate examination. 188 00:15:34,760 --> 00:15:37,760 But the chances are this is a two-year-old adult, 189 00:15:37,760 --> 00:15:41,360 the age at which beavers are usually pushed out of the lodge. 190 00:15:44,640 --> 00:15:47,840 Beavers are monogamous and breed during the winter. 191 00:15:51,920 --> 00:15:55,920 Let's face it, locked in by the ice for months on end, 192 00:15:55,920 --> 00:15:57,600 there's not much else to do. 193 00:16:00,240 --> 00:16:04,400 They'll typically have a litter of two to four kits in the spring. 194 00:16:04,400 --> 00:16:07,200 Initially, these kits will live off their mother's milk, 195 00:16:07,200 --> 00:16:10,240 and they'll start swimming after a few days. 196 00:16:10,240 --> 00:16:11,800 Then, after about a month, 197 00:16:11,800 --> 00:16:15,640 they'll be weaned onto a diet of twigs and leaves. 198 00:16:15,640 --> 00:16:17,120 Lucky them. 199 00:16:20,000 --> 00:16:23,400 Their fur isn't waterproof initially, but that all changes 200 00:16:23,400 --> 00:16:28,520 thanks to continual massaging with...bodily secretions. 201 00:16:29,480 --> 00:16:32,320 This tireless grooming also helps maintain 202 00:16:32,320 --> 00:16:35,480 an additional waterproofing layer of air within their fur. 203 00:16:37,640 --> 00:16:39,520 After two years, during which time 204 00:16:39,520 --> 00:16:42,520 a couple more litters may have swelled the growing family, 205 00:16:42,520 --> 00:16:46,480 it'll be "heigh-ho and off you go" for these adolescent beavers 206 00:16:46,480 --> 00:16:48,400 as they get shoved out of the lodge 207 00:16:48,400 --> 00:16:50,760 to make way for their younger siblings. 208 00:17:05,800 --> 00:17:09,880 Using streams, rivers and waterways, these young adults, 209 00:17:09,880 --> 00:17:12,800 known as dispersers or... 210 00:17:12,800 --> 00:17:14,560 floaters, 211 00:17:14,560 --> 00:17:17,680 may travel several miles in search of a mate 212 00:17:17,680 --> 00:17:20,320 and an unoccupied waterway in which to set up home. 213 00:17:23,160 --> 00:17:25,280 It's often these renegade rodents 214 00:17:25,280 --> 00:17:28,320 that Drew is called out to deal with in the spring. 215 00:17:33,760 --> 00:17:38,160 He's returned to find out if he's caught the remote-controlled beaver. 216 00:17:39,400 --> 00:17:40,640 Uh... 217 00:17:41,600 --> 00:17:43,480 Oh, you gotta be kidding me! 218 00:17:45,000 --> 00:17:47,960 Well, trap's empty. It's not good. 219 00:17:47,960 --> 00:17:52,880 There's going to be times where I don't capture beavers. I'm not 100%. 220 00:17:52,880 --> 00:17:57,080 You know, they're just... sometimes better than I am. 221 00:17:59,240 --> 00:18:01,080 There are no fresh signs of damage, 222 00:18:01,080 --> 00:18:03,960 so it looks like the beaver was just casing the joint 223 00:18:03,960 --> 00:18:05,800 rather than actually moving in. 224 00:18:07,400 --> 00:18:08,960 Skunked again. 225 00:18:11,160 --> 00:18:13,040 Gotta love springtime trapping... 226 00:18:14,760 --> 00:18:16,960 With several other calls to respond to, 227 00:18:16,960 --> 00:18:20,520 Drew decides not to leave the traps in place any longer. 228 00:18:20,520 --> 00:18:23,800 Ah, I'll be able to put these traps to use somewhere else, anyways. 229 00:18:27,480 --> 00:18:31,800 'The beavers plug the culverts and create flooding problems.' 230 00:18:31,800 --> 00:18:34,880 We were gone for a couple of days and came back. 231 00:18:34,880 --> 00:18:38,160 And I left my flower garden. It was flooded. 232 00:18:38,160 --> 00:18:40,720 It was almost up to my knees, and... 233 00:18:41,800 --> 00:18:44,920 ..needless to say, that was a major inconvenience, 234 00:18:44,920 --> 00:18:47,720 and the flowers are suffering. 235 00:18:57,600 --> 00:19:00,440 Drew's been called out by another caretaker, 236 00:19:00,440 --> 00:19:03,600 who's chanced upon some incriminating evidence. 237 00:19:05,960 --> 00:19:10,720 Chewed-on branches right there in the water. It's pretty typical. 238 00:19:10,720 --> 00:19:13,600 Beavers will often turn a shallow cove like this 239 00:19:13,600 --> 00:19:15,840 into a makeshift restaurant, 240 00:19:15,840 --> 00:19:19,600 pulling branches into the water, where they can safely eat the bark. 241 00:19:21,600 --> 00:19:24,280 Any tree in the vicinity is easy pickings... 242 00:19:25,920 --> 00:19:29,600 ..and the culprit here appears to have been particularly determined. 243 00:19:29,600 --> 00:19:34,160 I honestly have never seen a beaver chewing through netting like this. 244 00:19:37,920 --> 00:19:41,280 The branches aren't just used as a food supply. 245 00:19:41,280 --> 00:19:44,160 They get recycled as building materials. 246 00:19:46,040 --> 00:19:48,880 Not a trick you can play with hamburgers. 247 00:19:51,640 --> 00:19:53,880 So, where's the activity at? 248 00:19:53,880 --> 00:19:56,160 And it's the sudden appearance of a lodge 249 00:19:56,160 --> 00:19:59,960 that alerted this caretaker to his new arrivals. 250 00:19:59,960 --> 00:20:03,120 So, this is quite a bit bigger than it was last time I was here. 251 00:20:04,440 --> 00:20:06,400 All these branches on top of that mud are new, 252 00:20:06,400 --> 00:20:10,960 and all this debris here in the water is new. 253 00:20:10,960 --> 00:20:12,720 OK. 254 00:20:12,720 --> 00:20:15,720 So far, the damage is fairly minor, 255 00:20:15,720 --> 00:20:18,520 but if the beavers build a dam on the pond outlet, 256 00:20:18,520 --> 00:20:21,920 the rising water level could easily flood the house, 257 00:20:21,920 --> 00:20:25,680 which is worth several million dollars. 258 00:20:25,680 --> 00:20:27,200 What was that? 259 00:20:30,440 --> 00:20:32,960 There he goes, right there. Check it out. 260 00:20:32,960 --> 00:20:35,200 That's him swimming right over there. 261 00:20:36,160 --> 00:20:37,720 Well, it's proof positive! 262 00:20:37,720 --> 00:20:39,160 THEY LAUGH 263 00:20:39,160 --> 00:20:41,320 Saying hello! 264 00:20:41,320 --> 00:20:44,840 Right, I've seen what I need to see. Let's go get the traps. All right. 265 00:20:47,800 --> 00:20:51,080 A second beaver appears while Drew's back is turned. 266 00:20:52,560 --> 00:20:55,000 So it's a good job he's brought two traps. 267 00:21:00,400 --> 00:21:03,320 The beavers are probably unable to make out the traps, 268 00:21:03,320 --> 00:21:06,920 as their sight is relatively poor. 269 00:21:06,920 --> 00:21:09,000 But their sense of smell is excellent, 270 00:21:09,000 --> 00:21:13,920 and their noses are clearly telling them that Drew represents a threat. 271 00:21:19,080 --> 00:21:23,080 A violent slap of the tail is a beaver's main defence mechanism, 272 00:21:23,080 --> 00:21:27,200 a way of telling an intruder, human or otherwise, to back off. 273 00:21:32,000 --> 00:21:33,600 DREW LAUGHS 274 00:21:40,440 --> 00:21:42,760 OK, that trap's hot. 275 00:21:42,760 --> 00:21:46,800 With two traps set, Drew is happy to leave the beavers to it. 276 00:21:47,800 --> 00:21:49,360 If everything goes to plan, 277 00:21:49,360 --> 00:21:51,560 they'll be in custody by the morning. 278 00:21:53,680 --> 00:21:56,080 Good luck, beave. 279 00:21:59,600 --> 00:22:01,120 BIRDSONG 280 00:22:10,840 --> 00:22:12,720 Uh-oh. 281 00:22:12,720 --> 00:22:14,080 We've got one. 282 00:22:15,160 --> 00:22:16,880 Good. First one of the season. 283 00:22:18,120 --> 00:22:19,880 Unfortunately, it looks like 284 00:22:19,880 --> 00:22:23,480 the second beaver has evaded the long arm of the law. 285 00:22:23,480 --> 00:22:26,960 Bummer we didn't get the other one. But we'll get it. 286 00:22:28,040 --> 00:22:31,440 The chances of a successful relocation will be improved 287 00:22:31,440 --> 00:22:35,240 if Drew can catch both beavers and then release the pair together. 288 00:22:36,280 --> 00:22:37,600 OK... 289 00:22:39,440 --> 00:22:41,400 So he leaves a couple of traps in place 290 00:22:41,400 --> 00:22:44,480 before escorting the first beaver from the premises. 291 00:22:50,760 --> 00:22:52,880 TV REPORT: Nature appears to have the upper hand 292 00:22:52,880 --> 00:22:54,400 since animal-cruelty complaints 293 00:22:54,400 --> 00:22:56,440 stopped the practice of drowning the beavers. 294 00:22:56,440 --> 00:22:57,600 News 4's George Richert 295 00:22:57,600 --> 00:23:01,400 reports that the industrious rodents are as busy as ever. 296 00:23:01,400 --> 00:23:03,480 Beavers are prolific builders, 297 00:23:03,480 --> 00:23:07,360 chewing down and dragging whatever trees they can to build a dam. 298 00:23:09,760 --> 00:23:13,400 While he's waiting to see if his traps snare the second beaver, 299 00:23:13,400 --> 00:23:17,320 Drew's keeping the first one in a temporary holding facility. 300 00:23:17,320 --> 00:23:18,920 We've got a 39-pound beaver, 301 00:23:18,920 --> 00:23:21,520 which technically - and it is just an estimate - 302 00:23:21,520 --> 00:23:23,360 is a three-year-old beaver. 303 00:23:25,000 --> 00:23:26,800 The beaver is ear-tagged. 304 00:23:28,080 --> 00:23:30,360 Got it. Perfect. 305 00:23:30,360 --> 00:23:32,040 If Drew finds it in the wild, 306 00:23:32,040 --> 00:23:34,760 he'll be able to judge how far it's travelled. 307 00:23:35,920 --> 00:23:39,760 And if it's re-caught, he'll be able to clock it as a repeat offender. 308 00:23:42,960 --> 00:23:45,440 Put you away, hopefully for just the night. 309 00:23:49,280 --> 00:23:50,920 See you in the morning! 310 00:23:54,000 --> 00:23:57,080 Drew's thoughts turn to beaver number two. 311 00:23:59,680 --> 00:24:03,520 But, despite leaving his traps out for several nights... 312 00:24:06,280 --> 00:24:07,960 ..he draws a blank. 313 00:24:09,400 --> 00:24:12,440 It doesn't look like we got the other one. 314 00:24:12,440 --> 00:24:14,280 Struck out. 315 00:24:14,280 --> 00:24:16,520 It looks like it's moved on. 316 00:24:20,280 --> 00:24:24,280 Beavers will travel miles in search of a suitable pond, 317 00:24:24,280 --> 00:24:28,360 so Drew's chances of capturing it now are effectively nil. 318 00:24:29,680 --> 00:24:32,680 Well, it's aggravating as hell not to catch the second beaver. 319 00:24:32,680 --> 00:24:35,480 The other beaver has been in the trailer for three days now, 320 00:24:35,480 --> 00:24:38,400 so I'm going to have to go release that particular beaver. 321 00:24:39,960 --> 00:24:41,720 'I just can't hold it any longer.' 322 00:24:52,520 --> 00:24:56,440 With the detainee safely transferred to a...beaver box... 323 00:25:02,240 --> 00:25:06,280 ..Drew takes it to a release point well away from town. 324 00:25:06,280 --> 00:25:09,080 OK, let's get this beaver out of here. 325 00:25:09,080 --> 00:25:11,360 You're fine. Yeah, there you go. 326 00:25:19,120 --> 00:25:20,840 There you go, buddy. 327 00:25:20,840 --> 00:25:22,360 HE CHUCKLES 328 00:25:26,760 --> 00:25:29,440 Hopefully, the beaver will find another mate 329 00:25:29,440 --> 00:25:32,120 and a good spot in which to establish a new home. 330 00:25:33,920 --> 00:25:36,640 So, this is the first beaver of the season. 331 00:25:36,640 --> 00:25:41,360 Mostly likely there's going to be 30, maybe 40 more of these to go. 332 00:25:41,360 --> 00:25:44,240 Hopefully, the vast majority of them do good things and... 333 00:25:45,680 --> 00:25:47,720 ..I don't have to capture them again! 334 00:25:51,520 --> 00:25:56,400 Beavers are a keystone species, and as long as they're in the wild, 335 00:25:56,400 --> 00:25:59,880 the ponds they create benefit a huge range of wildlife... 336 00:26:02,480 --> 00:26:06,400 ..which is why Drew's employers, the Wyoming Wetlands Society, 337 00:26:06,400 --> 00:26:09,560 started the relocation programme in the first place. 338 00:26:11,560 --> 00:26:16,560 Well, the beaver relocation programme is kind of a win-win situation. 339 00:26:16,560 --> 00:26:20,840 We're taking an animal that could potentially be killed 340 00:26:20,840 --> 00:26:24,680 just because it's just doing its own thing. 341 00:26:26,120 --> 00:26:31,760 And you're moving it to an area that it can do some really good work. 342 00:26:38,720 --> 00:26:42,760 It's thought that 80% of the local wildlife 343 00:26:42,760 --> 00:26:45,800 benefit from wetlands in some form or fashion. 344 00:26:55,160 --> 00:26:58,840 At one time, beavers were widespread throughout the USA. 345 00:27:01,040 --> 00:27:03,960 But the European fashion for felt hats 346 00:27:03,960 --> 00:27:07,240 meant that fur trappers decimated their populations 347 00:27:07,240 --> 00:27:09,400 in the 18th and 19th centuries. 348 00:27:10,840 --> 00:27:13,920 It was only after a series of reintroduction programmes 349 00:27:13,920 --> 00:27:16,000 were carried out in the last century 350 00:27:16,000 --> 00:27:18,840 that beavers became widespread again, 351 00:27:18,840 --> 00:27:21,120 inevitably bringing them into conflict 352 00:27:21,120 --> 00:27:23,520 with another expanding population... 353 00:27:26,640 --> 00:27:28,720 ..humans. 354 00:27:28,720 --> 00:27:32,360 I understand their necessity in the ecosystem. 355 00:27:32,360 --> 00:27:38,040 I just wish they would do what they like to do on someone else's land. 356 00:27:38,040 --> 00:27:40,320 You know, I'm not at all opposed 357 00:27:40,320 --> 00:27:43,400 to trapping a beaver and using its pelt. 358 00:27:43,400 --> 00:27:47,080 My wife has a nice, wonderful beaver vest with a bobcat fringe. 359 00:27:47,080 --> 00:27:48,840 You know? 360 00:27:54,720 --> 00:27:57,920 Oh, this is nice. Yeah, this is real nice. 361 00:28:01,120 --> 00:28:04,480 Jeff has found a new spot for filming wildlife. 362 00:28:04,480 --> 00:28:06,680 Oh, very nice, very nice. 363 00:28:13,200 --> 00:28:14,640 Well, this is lovely. 364 00:28:17,040 --> 00:28:22,120 It's a hotel and cabin complex close to the centre of Jackson. 365 00:28:25,000 --> 00:28:29,040 With a stream running through the grounds, it's a haven for wildlife. 366 00:28:30,880 --> 00:28:35,480 And Jeff's been tipped off about one particular pair of new arrivals. 367 00:28:42,840 --> 00:28:45,240 Oh! Wow, there you go! 368 00:28:46,760 --> 00:28:48,520 This is great! 369 00:28:48,520 --> 00:28:52,480 Now, these beavers are just swimming in and out through here. 370 00:28:54,080 --> 00:28:56,880 There's over 100 cabins here, 371 00:28:56,880 --> 00:28:58,920 and they've just made this place their home. 372 00:28:58,920 --> 00:29:02,080 I never would have expected it. It's just absolutely amazing. 373 00:29:06,960 --> 00:29:09,440 The attraction for the beavers is obvious. 374 00:29:10,920 --> 00:29:13,640 There's fresh food on hand... 375 00:29:13,640 --> 00:29:16,320 the perfect spot to start a lodge... 376 00:29:16,320 --> 00:29:20,120 a creek providing access to additional supplies, 377 00:29:20,120 --> 00:29:22,440 and the presence of people will ensure 378 00:29:22,440 --> 00:29:25,520 there are no natural predators sniffing around 379 00:29:25,520 --> 00:29:27,280 looking for an easy kill. 380 00:29:32,800 --> 00:29:35,000 So, this has been a very successful night. 381 00:29:37,360 --> 00:29:39,120 We've seen two beavers. 382 00:29:39,120 --> 00:29:41,240 And I will keep checking in on this place 383 00:29:41,240 --> 00:29:42,960 and just see how it progresses. 384 00:29:47,120 --> 00:29:49,480 A little warning. 385 00:29:49,480 --> 00:29:52,920 It seems the beavers haven't proved popular with everybody. 386 00:29:55,080 --> 00:29:57,080 Basically, the decision was made 387 00:29:57,080 --> 00:29:59,840 by the landowner and some of the neighbours that... 388 00:29:59,840 --> 00:30:02,720 the beavers had to go, so... 389 00:30:02,720 --> 00:30:05,840 hopefully we can help them out there and help the beavers out. 390 00:30:07,040 --> 00:30:08,480 OK, the trap's hot. 391 00:30:09,760 --> 00:30:11,520 Thanks to Jeff's diligence, 392 00:30:11,520 --> 00:30:14,280 Drew knows there are two beavers living here. 393 00:30:14,280 --> 00:30:16,800 So he's brought his 'n' hers traps. 394 00:30:18,560 --> 00:30:20,920 Come back tomorrow and see what we got. 395 00:30:20,920 --> 00:30:22,920 He may not have to wait that long. 396 00:30:23,920 --> 00:30:26,080 Keep an eye on the trap. He's going to the trap. 397 00:30:26,080 --> 00:30:27,920 Maybe it's his aftershave, 398 00:30:27,920 --> 00:30:31,280 but once again he's tricked a beaver into breaking cover. 399 00:30:36,360 --> 00:30:38,320 Come on, get on there... 400 00:30:40,720 --> 00:30:42,040 Come on. 401 00:30:44,800 --> 00:30:46,720 We got ya! 402 00:30:46,720 --> 00:30:49,960 Look at that! HE CHUCKLES 403 00:30:49,960 --> 00:30:51,560 Welcome to Jackson. 404 00:30:53,440 --> 00:30:54,680 Hey...! 405 00:30:55,960 --> 00:30:57,880 As Drew knows only too well, 406 00:30:57,880 --> 00:31:01,080 there's nothing better than catching a beaver at the end of the day... 407 00:31:02,320 --> 00:31:03,760 Don't you bite my leg! 408 00:31:04,800 --> 00:31:09,040 ..unless it's waking up to another one the next morning. 409 00:31:09,040 --> 00:31:11,640 Let's see what we got here, if we got anything. 410 00:31:14,040 --> 00:31:15,360 Yeah, yeah! 411 00:31:17,000 --> 00:31:18,280 We got ya! 412 00:31:21,560 --> 00:31:23,200 You're fine. 413 00:31:23,200 --> 00:31:25,160 You're fine. 414 00:31:25,160 --> 00:31:26,720 You're all right. 415 00:31:28,160 --> 00:31:32,320 This makes me happy. I didn't want to break up another happy home. 416 00:31:34,560 --> 00:31:38,200 It's not just a case of playing happy families. 417 00:31:38,200 --> 00:31:39,920 Releasing the beavers as a pair 418 00:31:39,920 --> 00:31:43,160 means they'll double both their food-finding capacity 419 00:31:43,160 --> 00:31:46,760 and their labour force when it comes to establishing a new home... 420 00:31:46,760 --> 00:31:48,080 That's good. 421 00:31:48,080 --> 00:31:51,840 Key factors which could ensure a successful relocation. 422 00:31:51,840 --> 00:31:53,600 On to the next pair. 423 00:31:56,600 --> 00:31:58,760 If we didn't have somebody like Drew around, 424 00:31:58,760 --> 00:32:00,520 it'd be a real big problem here. 425 00:32:00,520 --> 00:32:03,000 Having to come out here two or three times a week, 426 00:32:03,000 --> 00:32:04,720 pull sticks out of the culvert 427 00:32:04,720 --> 00:32:06,160 interrupts my day, 428 00:32:06,160 --> 00:32:08,560 then I either got to come out here at night after work 429 00:32:08,560 --> 00:32:10,200 or first thing in the morning, 430 00:32:10,200 --> 00:32:14,160 and then, if I leave for a weekend, I might come back to a big mess. 431 00:32:25,400 --> 00:32:29,800 It's summer, and tourists are flocking into town, 432 00:32:29,800 --> 00:32:35,840 keen to enjoy a Wild West experience and the chance to view the wildlife. 433 00:32:46,960 --> 00:32:50,720 Even the humble beaver gets its own summer fan club. 434 00:32:50,720 --> 00:32:52,320 CAMERAS CLICK 435 00:32:57,800 --> 00:33:02,240 But for most beavers, there's no time to bask in the limelight. 436 00:33:06,840 --> 00:33:08,840 For these relentless rodents, 437 00:33:08,840 --> 00:33:12,240 spring and summer is prime dam-building time... 438 00:33:15,520 --> 00:33:19,240 ..when old dams are patched up after early-season floods 439 00:33:19,240 --> 00:33:22,440 and fresh ones are built to establish new ponds. 440 00:33:30,320 --> 00:33:33,400 Their dams can extend remarkable distances. 441 00:33:35,000 --> 00:33:38,800 In fact, the largest known one, in Alberta, Canada, 442 00:33:38,800 --> 00:33:40,520 is over half a mile long. 443 00:33:45,000 --> 00:33:49,720 These huge structures are created thanks to a mixture of tireless work 444 00:33:49,720 --> 00:33:53,280 and the beavers' amazing evolutionary adaptations. 445 00:33:57,120 --> 00:34:01,320 Their front paws are dextrous enough to manoeuvre branches into place. 446 00:34:05,560 --> 00:34:07,840 And they can walk on their back feet, 447 00:34:07,840 --> 00:34:10,960 freeing up their front paws to carry mud up to the dam... 448 00:34:13,920 --> 00:34:17,800 ..before stuffing it in to make the construction watertight. 449 00:34:21,680 --> 00:34:26,120 With webbed rear feet and a powerful flipper-shaped tail... 450 00:34:27,600 --> 00:34:30,440 ..they're agile swimmers, 451 00:34:30,440 --> 00:34:34,160 capable of shuttling back and forth with the minimum of effort. 452 00:34:49,000 --> 00:34:51,680 And exceeding the best human divers, 453 00:34:51,680 --> 00:34:54,760 they can hold their breath for up to 15 minutes... 454 00:34:55,840 --> 00:34:59,280 ..plenty of time to excavate mud from the bottom of the pond. 455 00:35:08,280 --> 00:35:11,800 This mud fest is a win-win for the beavers. 456 00:35:11,800 --> 00:35:14,800 As well as supplying valuable building materials, 457 00:35:14,800 --> 00:35:17,360 all that digging makes the pond deeper, 458 00:35:17,360 --> 00:35:20,480 making it less likely to freeze solid during winter. 459 00:35:25,200 --> 00:35:28,680 Once the dam is finished, the area behind it floods, 460 00:35:28,680 --> 00:35:33,200 and the beavers can just swim up to fresh supplies of trees and bushes. 461 00:35:39,960 --> 00:35:42,560 Although they will travel across land, 462 00:35:42,560 --> 00:35:44,840 beavers know there's much less chance 463 00:35:44,840 --> 00:35:48,760 of being jumped by a bear or a wolf if they stick to the water. 464 00:35:50,120 --> 00:35:53,040 And by cunningly digging canals and channels, 465 00:35:53,040 --> 00:35:56,720 they can extend the pond to reach any choice specimens. 466 00:36:10,160 --> 00:36:13,200 Big trees make such tempting targets, 467 00:36:13,200 --> 00:36:15,440 because as far as a beaver's concerned, 468 00:36:15,440 --> 00:36:17,240 all those branches and twigs 469 00:36:17,240 --> 00:36:20,920 make them a supermarket and building merchant's rolled into one. 470 00:36:22,000 --> 00:36:24,040 And their incredibly strong jaw muscles, 471 00:36:24,040 --> 00:36:26,920 combined with sharp, enamelled incisors, 472 00:36:26,920 --> 00:36:30,040 mean no tree is safe from their felling felony. 473 00:36:33,760 --> 00:36:37,720 With their lives dependent on these acts of arboreal anarchy, 474 00:36:37,720 --> 00:36:40,120 it's no surprise that a single beaver 475 00:36:40,120 --> 00:36:43,680 can fell more than 200 trees a year... 476 00:37:03,320 --> 00:37:06,600 ..which is why Jackson residents call in Drew 477 00:37:06,600 --> 00:37:08,480 at the first sign of trouble. 478 00:37:12,680 --> 00:37:17,040 We got a lot of activity just right here. Right, right. 479 00:37:17,040 --> 00:37:20,240 Oh, he's taken a tree down right here. Oh, there's two trees. 480 00:37:20,240 --> 00:37:23,200 Oh, yeah. That tree right there. 481 00:37:23,200 --> 00:37:25,800 You know, if you look over towards that house, Jeff, 482 00:37:25,800 --> 00:37:29,680 there's some prize aspens over there really close to the house. 483 00:37:29,680 --> 00:37:31,760 They want the beavers gone. 484 00:37:31,760 --> 00:37:34,800 Drew's hoping Jeff's specialist surveillance skills 485 00:37:34,800 --> 00:37:39,640 will help determine how many beavers are responsible for the damage. 486 00:37:39,640 --> 00:37:41,200 Oh, oh, beaver. 487 00:37:45,800 --> 00:37:49,320 See that? Now, here he goes, scent marking. Keep it down, keep it down. 488 00:37:51,720 --> 00:37:55,160 It might be a reaction to Drew and Jeff's arrival, 489 00:37:55,160 --> 00:37:58,440 but by smearing its own unique urine-based paste 490 00:37:58,440 --> 00:38:00,760 over a specially constructed mound, 491 00:38:00,760 --> 00:38:03,520 this beaver is making a clear statement. 492 00:38:05,200 --> 00:38:08,360 He's saying, "This is my pond. Period." 493 00:38:16,240 --> 00:38:18,720 It's not just marking out its territory. 494 00:38:18,720 --> 00:38:22,520 This beaver has been busy in other ways, too. 495 00:38:22,520 --> 00:38:24,800 He's got quite a bit of food stashed over there. 496 00:38:26,400 --> 00:38:29,040 These aren't just preparations for winter. 497 00:38:30,560 --> 00:38:32,160 If this beaver is single, 498 00:38:32,160 --> 00:38:35,880 a well-appointed pond might help attract a mate. 499 00:38:35,880 --> 00:38:39,600 He's found himself a wonderful place to live... 500 00:38:39,600 --> 00:38:40,840 as far as he's concerned. 501 00:38:40,840 --> 00:38:44,320 I was about to say, he's going to get evicted soon. 502 00:38:50,080 --> 00:38:53,280 Any eviction will depend on trapping the beaver, 503 00:38:53,280 --> 00:38:56,880 and Drew is relying on his scent lure to work its magic. 504 00:38:58,840 --> 00:39:00,560 OK, it's hot. 505 00:39:01,720 --> 00:39:06,240 So far, Drew's lure doesn't seem to be working. 506 00:39:08,000 --> 00:39:10,840 I think he's literally munching on the lawn. 507 00:39:11,920 --> 00:39:14,360 I've never seen a beaver grazing like that. 508 00:39:15,640 --> 00:39:20,400 Starter over, it's time to think about the main course. 509 00:39:20,400 --> 00:39:24,360 Oh, he's thinking about that tree, though, man. Uh-oh. 510 00:39:24,360 --> 00:39:25,840 Sneaky little bugger! 511 00:39:30,240 --> 00:39:32,720 Perhaps it's got a whiff of the lure... 512 00:39:34,800 --> 00:39:39,320 ..but something has distracted the beaver's attention from its stomach. 513 00:39:39,320 --> 00:39:41,640 Back to the water. 514 00:39:41,640 --> 00:39:44,920 Yeah, let's get this done quick. That beaver wants back over here. 515 00:39:51,400 --> 00:39:53,000 Let's get out of here. 516 00:39:53,000 --> 00:39:55,480 Good luck, beave. 517 00:39:55,480 --> 00:39:57,920 With so many large trees at risk, 518 00:39:57,920 --> 00:40:00,640 Drew knows his traps are all that stand 519 00:40:00,640 --> 00:40:04,000 between the property and another beaver Armageddon. 520 00:40:13,160 --> 00:40:14,480 Ah, we got him, we got him, man. 521 00:40:15,840 --> 00:40:18,320 Oh! Smaller than I thought. 522 00:40:18,320 --> 00:40:21,320 DREW CHUCKLES It IS smaller! 523 00:40:21,320 --> 00:40:24,000 Let's get this guy out of here. 524 00:40:24,000 --> 00:40:26,440 Say goodbye to your first home, buddy. 525 00:40:40,160 --> 00:40:43,640 Drew is taking this beaver over 40 miles away, 526 00:40:43,640 --> 00:40:47,080 way out into the Bridger-Teton National Forest. 527 00:40:48,600 --> 00:40:54,000 It's an area that's home to deer, elk and even cougars, 528 00:40:54,000 --> 00:40:58,640 all species that will benefit from a beaver creating new wetlands. 529 00:41:01,600 --> 00:41:02,800 See ya, buddy. 530 00:41:02,800 --> 00:41:07,000 Off he goes, into this new home territory. 531 00:41:07,000 --> 00:41:11,080 You can get into all the trouble you want up here. Just stay out of town. 532 00:41:15,120 --> 00:41:18,720 So far, it's been a relatively slow year for Drew. 533 00:41:18,720 --> 00:41:20,240 But as summer rolls on... 534 00:41:22,400 --> 00:41:24,360 Sounds good! HE LAUGHS 535 00:41:24,360 --> 00:41:26,520 ..the calls start flooding in. 536 00:41:28,360 --> 00:41:30,280 There you go. 537 00:41:42,480 --> 00:41:45,080 And Drew knows that as winter approaches, 538 00:41:45,080 --> 00:41:47,720 beaver activity will snowball. 539 00:41:48,920 --> 00:41:50,440 OK, buddy. 540 00:41:55,160 --> 00:42:00,880 When I planted some big willows and five or six aspens many years ago, 541 00:42:00,880 --> 00:42:05,120 1,500 worth of willows, 1,000 worth of aspen, 542 00:42:05,120 --> 00:42:06,400 one night they're there 543 00:42:06,400 --> 00:42:09,640 and the next morning they're in a pile in the middle of the pond. 544 00:42:09,640 --> 00:42:13,400 Since that time, I've definitely been in defence mode. 545 00:42:40,400 --> 00:42:41,600 It's autumn... 546 00:42:42,760 --> 00:42:46,640 ..and human activity around Jackson is slacking off. 547 00:42:49,440 --> 00:42:52,920 But beaver activity has gone into overdrive. 548 00:42:56,880 --> 00:43:01,120 Winter is just weeks away, and, like people and Christmas, 549 00:43:01,120 --> 00:43:04,840 beavers know that there are only so many "shopping days" 550 00:43:04,840 --> 00:43:06,480 before the ice comes. 551 00:43:10,840 --> 00:43:13,480 Top of the list is preparing their hide-out. 552 00:43:15,680 --> 00:43:19,400 Beavers can build a new lodge in just 20 days, 553 00:43:19,400 --> 00:43:23,040 shifting around three tonnes of material in the process. 554 00:43:27,040 --> 00:43:29,480 Even existing lodges get a make-over. 555 00:43:34,920 --> 00:43:38,560 Extra mud and sticks provide insulation against the cold. 556 00:43:45,880 --> 00:43:48,320 And once this surface layer freezes, 557 00:43:48,320 --> 00:43:50,560 it'll prevent any desperate predators 558 00:43:50,560 --> 00:43:55,520 like wolves, cougars or coyotes breaking in in search of a snack. 559 00:43:59,400 --> 00:44:02,560 With their lives dependent on these preparations, 560 00:44:02,560 --> 00:44:05,920 it's make-or-break time for beavers and their families. 561 00:44:10,320 --> 00:44:14,880 And sometimes they get support where they might least expect it. 562 00:44:16,480 --> 00:44:18,440 The beaver were here first. 563 00:44:18,440 --> 00:44:24,480 We want to protect them and see if we can't find that happy medium. 564 00:44:24,480 --> 00:44:27,080 We're the ones that are crowding the wildlife. 565 00:44:27,080 --> 00:44:30,280 We're the ones that planted the trees that they need. 566 00:44:30,280 --> 00:44:32,480 It's really not the beavers' problem. 567 00:44:32,480 --> 00:44:35,320 We're kind of creating it, in a sense. 568 00:44:35,320 --> 00:44:39,800 So we're here to try to find harmony with the beaver 569 00:44:39,800 --> 00:44:43,720 and peace in our neighbourhoods as we move into his habitat. 570 00:44:45,440 --> 00:44:47,960 Oh, right here. Look at this. 571 00:44:47,960 --> 00:44:50,520 Drew's calls aren't always motivated by 572 00:44:50,520 --> 00:44:53,280 people worried about the damage beavers cause. 573 00:44:54,320 --> 00:44:57,560 This does completely freeze over in the winter, 574 00:44:57,560 --> 00:45:01,000 so I don't know whether it'll freeze all the way down or... 575 00:45:01,000 --> 00:45:02,960 That's the crucial part. 576 00:45:02,960 --> 00:45:05,760 This time, he's been called out by a local homeowner 577 00:45:05,760 --> 00:45:07,440 who's concerned about a beaver 578 00:45:07,440 --> 00:45:10,920 that's been spotted in this shallow irrigation ditch. 579 00:45:10,920 --> 00:45:14,080 If they were to stick around here at this point, it would... 580 00:45:14,080 --> 00:45:16,080 COULD essentially be a suicide mission, 581 00:45:16,080 --> 00:45:18,200 trying to live in this ditch for the winter. 582 00:45:19,280 --> 00:45:21,400 If this ditch freezes up completely, 583 00:45:21,400 --> 00:45:24,000 the beaver will be forced to forage on land, 584 00:45:24,000 --> 00:45:26,080 making it easy meat for any predator. 585 00:45:27,280 --> 00:45:29,000 It's not a good place for them long-term. 586 00:45:29,000 --> 00:45:32,680 It doesn't really sound like a good place for them in the short term. 587 00:45:32,680 --> 00:45:34,960 I mean, I think... 588 00:45:34,960 --> 00:45:39,040 you know, one way or the other, they really need to live somewhere else. 589 00:45:39,040 --> 00:45:42,760 We'll do what we can, but if Jeff can give me a better idea, 590 00:45:42,760 --> 00:45:44,320 that'll be helpful. 591 00:45:44,320 --> 00:45:45,640 Absolutely. 592 00:45:47,040 --> 00:45:49,240 Agh! 593 00:45:49,240 --> 00:45:50,520 HE STRAINS 594 00:45:55,320 --> 00:45:58,080 Jeff is dealing with a blockage. 595 00:45:59,080 --> 00:46:00,360 Ooh! 596 00:46:01,320 --> 00:46:04,200 It's the drainage pipe at the downstream end of the ditch. 597 00:46:06,280 --> 00:46:09,640 It's been blocked, presumably by the beaver, 598 00:46:09,640 --> 00:46:12,920 in an attempt to turn the ditch into a viable pond. 599 00:46:12,920 --> 00:46:14,640 Mud. 600 00:46:14,640 --> 00:46:17,640 Vegetation. Sticks. 601 00:46:17,640 --> 00:46:21,320 He's hoping that unblocking the pipe will draw any beavers out, 602 00:46:21,320 --> 00:46:23,360 revealing just how many there are. 603 00:46:24,520 --> 00:46:26,040 Rocks. 604 00:46:26,040 --> 00:46:27,680 A lot of rocks. 605 00:46:28,840 --> 00:46:32,640 They were masons, these beavers. Stonemasons. 606 00:46:34,920 --> 00:46:37,560 Beavers instinctively build dams, 607 00:46:37,560 --> 00:46:39,520 and, like Pavlov's dogs, 608 00:46:39,520 --> 00:46:43,640 the sound of running water seems to drive them into construction frenzy, 609 00:46:43,640 --> 00:46:46,640 feeding a desperate urge to repair any leaks. 610 00:46:46,640 --> 00:46:48,360 HE STRAINS 611 00:46:48,360 --> 00:46:50,800 It's so packed in here, tight. 612 00:46:50,800 --> 00:46:54,640 So clearing the pipe should bring the beavers out... 613 00:46:54,640 --> 00:46:57,440 assuming Jeff can unblock it in the first place. 614 00:46:57,440 --> 00:47:01,480 HE STRAINS This is the one. This is the hulk! 615 00:47:07,480 --> 00:47:08,920 Phew! 616 00:47:09,880 --> 00:47:14,080 With the water flowing again, Jeff heads off to take position. 617 00:47:17,800 --> 00:47:19,080 Oh! 618 00:47:19,080 --> 00:47:20,120 SNUFFLING 619 00:47:21,280 --> 00:47:22,640 Can you hear that? 620 00:47:30,360 --> 00:47:36,320 So, we have the makings of a lodge right here. There's not much to it. 621 00:47:37,320 --> 00:47:42,240 It might not look much, but at least one beaver is calling this home. 622 00:47:42,240 --> 00:47:43,760 Right there. 623 00:47:45,480 --> 00:47:47,520 See the beaver chewing that stick? 624 00:47:51,160 --> 00:47:53,560 They've excavated under this bush, 625 00:47:53,560 --> 00:47:56,680 and that's the extent of their lodge. 626 00:47:56,680 --> 00:47:59,160 They have a lot of work here yet to do 627 00:47:59,160 --> 00:48:02,560 to make this a fortress. 628 00:48:02,560 --> 00:48:04,480 Oh! Wow, there you go. 629 00:48:06,120 --> 00:48:09,960 As the beaver slips off downstream, Jeff follows it. 630 00:48:12,200 --> 00:48:14,400 He's headed down towards the culvert. 631 00:48:17,760 --> 00:48:20,080 Oh, very nice, very nice. 632 00:48:20,080 --> 00:48:21,400 Sure enough, 633 00:48:21,400 --> 00:48:25,320 the beaver is checking out the sudden disappearance of its dam. 634 00:48:29,360 --> 00:48:30,880 But is there just the one? 635 00:48:36,600 --> 00:48:39,120 HE IMITATES BEAVER CHEWING 636 00:48:39,120 --> 00:48:43,600 I've read somewhere that if you want to attract a beaver, 637 00:48:43,600 --> 00:48:46,520 try making the sound of the beaver chewing. 638 00:48:47,560 --> 00:48:49,000 Right over! 639 00:48:49,920 --> 00:48:53,280 'Boy, I've been trying that, and it really seems to work!' 640 00:48:54,320 --> 00:48:58,920 These beavers seem to swim towards me and come and investigate, 641 00:48:58,920 --> 00:49:01,160 check me out, see what I'm all about. 642 00:49:02,520 --> 00:49:06,840 Neither the unblocked pipe nor Jeff's beaver-whispering antics 643 00:49:06,840 --> 00:49:08,720 reveal a second beaver. 644 00:49:09,760 --> 00:49:12,480 It looks as though there's just one to deal with. 645 00:49:18,240 --> 00:49:21,200 That should make Drew's task simple. 646 00:49:23,200 --> 00:49:27,200 But setting the traps is proving a problem. 647 00:49:27,200 --> 00:49:29,600 God, it just keeps getting deeper and deeper! 648 00:49:32,960 --> 00:49:35,600 If the trap slips into deeper water, 649 00:49:35,600 --> 00:49:38,480 then any trapped beaver could potentially drown. 650 00:49:39,520 --> 00:49:43,600 But the reality is Drew needs to catch this beaver. 651 00:49:43,600 --> 00:49:46,600 Leaving it here would be tantamount to killing it anyway. 652 00:49:47,880 --> 00:49:49,880 Finally! 653 00:49:49,880 --> 00:49:52,520 Shallow enough, and there's a lot of good activity. 654 00:49:59,680 --> 00:50:01,080 The trap is hot. 655 00:50:07,840 --> 00:50:10,040 And the trap's hot. 656 00:50:10,040 --> 00:50:11,320 Right, right, right there. 657 00:50:11,320 --> 00:50:13,080 Drew's plan is working. 658 00:50:13,080 --> 00:50:14,560 Right there! 659 00:50:17,840 --> 00:50:19,440 But there's a problem. 660 00:50:27,040 --> 00:50:29,000 A second beaver has appeared. 661 00:51:12,880 --> 00:51:15,720 Just couldn't resist, could you? 662 00:51:15,720 --> 00:51:17,800 That was pretty cool! HE LAUGHS 663 00:51:20,640 --> 00:51:23,040 If a Mountie always gets his man, 664 00:51:23,040 --> 00:51:25,800 then Drew is determined to get his beaver. 665 00:51:31,880 --> 00:51:34,240 Let's see if we have the same kind of luck. 666 00:51:38,520 --> 00:51:41,400 Not only will the first beaver's chances of survival 667 00:51:41,400 --> 00:51:43,480 be improved by catching its mate, 668 00:51:43,480 --> 00:51:46,320 but the second beaver will struggle to survive the winter 669 00:51:46,320 --> 00:51:47,800 if left in the ditch. 670 00:51:56,160 --> 00:51:58,920 But despite several nights' trapping... 671 00:51:58,920 --> 00:52:00,120 Nothing there. 672 00:52:00,120 --> 00:52:01,560 ..it's a bust. 673 00:52:02,560 --> 00:52:04,080 No way! 674 00:52:05,480 --> 00:52:06,760 Damn. 675 00:52:06,760 --> 00:52:08,440 The beaver has got away. 676 00:52:08,440 --> 00:52:09,920 Nothing. 677 00:52:12,320 --> 00:52:15,560 And with the first signs of winter already evident... 678 00:52:17,720 --> 00:52:21,080 ..Drew wastes no time in releasing the first beaver. 679 00:52:27,080 --> 00:52:29,240 This late in the year, the beaver will need 680 00:52:29,240 --> 00:52:31,200 every day it has in its new home 681 00:52:31,200 --> 00:52:33,800 to find sufficient supplies for the winter. 682 00:52:43,200 --> 00:52:46,800 Beavers spend much of the autumn building their food cache. 683 00:52:55,040 --> 00:52:57,880 It's their most important job before winter, 684 00:52:57,880 --> 00:53:00,520 and the whole family has to pull their weight. 685 00:53:19,400 --> 00:53:22,840 These branches will be woven together to make a raft, 686 00:53:22,840 --> 00:53:25,280 with the choicest items wedged underneath 687 00:53:25,280 --> 00:53:27,240 for maximum accessibility. 688 00:53:31,480 --> 00:53:35,360 The cold pond water will effectively act like a refrigerator, 689 00:53:35,360 --> 00:53:38,960 ensuring the food remains edible throughout the winter. 690 00:53:45,400 --> 00:53:49,280 Something is taking down willow on the edge of town. 691 00:53:56,240 --> 00:53:57,960 But with the first snows, 692 00:53:57,960 --> 00:54:01,960 it's now too late for Drew to relocate any problem beavers. 693 00:54:05,720 --> 00:54:08,680 However, he still has enough on his plate. 694 00:54:11,320 --> 00:54:15,040 He's put aside his sheriff's badge to play meals on wheels 695 00:54:15,040 --> 00:54:17,880 for a pair of recently relocated beavers 696 00:54:17,880 --> 00:54:20,280 that have yet to start on a food cache. 697 00:54:21,600 --> 00:54:25,040 Well, winter's come, and the best thing we can do for those beavers 698 00:54:25,040 --> 00:54:30,720 is to kinda help them out and give them materials myself. 699 00:54:30,720 --> 00:54:33,280 The grocery store came to them, kind of thing. 700 00:54:37,560 --> 00:54:42,720 It's estimated that beavers need up to four pounds of bark per day, 701 00:54:42,720 --> 00:54:45,440 so these caches have to be pretty significant. 702 00:54:47,080 --> 00:54:48,720 It might not be much, 703 00:54:48,720 --> 00:54:52,200 but every branch increases the beavers' chances. 704 00:54:52,200 --> 00:54:53,480 Being able to stay 705 00:54:53,480 --> 00:54:57,320 either in their lodge or under the ice all winter long, 706 00:54:57,320 --> 00:55:01,000 they're not risking getting out on the shoreline 707 00:55:01,000 --> 00:55:02,560 and into the snow and stuff, 708 00:55:02,560 --> 00:55:06,080 and, you know, potentially a predator coming along and whacking them. 709 00:55:19,720 --> 00:55:21,640 It's a 1½ hour drive 710 00:55:21,640 --> 00:55:25,400 to the spot where the relocated beavers have set up home. 711 00:55:42,000 --> 00:55:46,320 And he still has a 15-minute hike to reach their lodge. 712 00:55:48,560 --> 00:55:50,640 The things I do for these beavers! 713 00:56:03,560 --> 00:56:07,480 It looks like the two beavers I put in have already gone to work 714 00:56:07,480 --> 00:56:09,280 and have started a food cache. 715 00:56:09,280 --> 00:56:13,240 And no harm, no foul, I can just supplement that for them 716 00:56:13,240 --> 00:56:16,480 and, you know, give them a little bit better head start. 717 00:56:21,120 --> 00:56:23,280 There you go. Feeding beavers! 718 00:56:26,840 --> 00:56:29,040 It's not a moment too soon. 719 00:56:36,920 --> 00:56:39,400 The big freeze has started. 720 00:56:42,080 --> 00:56:45,520 In town, residents are hunkering down for the winter. 721 00:56:47,280 --> 00:56:49,120 And so are the beavers. 722 00:56:52,560 --> 00:56:56,920 They don't hibernate, but, encased in a world of snow and ice, 723 00:56:56,920 --> 00:57:00,040 the beavers will spend most of the next six months 724 00:57:00,040 --> 00:57:02,400 snuggled up inside their lodges. 725 00:57:06,040 --> 00:57:10,040 Despite outside temperatures dropping to 40 degrees below, 726 00:57:10,040 --> 00:57:13,840 inside the lodge it will hover just above freezing... 727 00:57:16,760 --> 00:57:20,600 ..ensuring the beavers can always slip out for a snack. 728 00:57:37,240 --> 00:57:40,360 Drew is also shutting down operations. 729 00:57:44,720 --> 00:57:49,640 With his equipment safely packed away, he can finally relax... 730 00:57:58,760 --> 00:58:00,600 ..until next spring... 731 00:58:05,160 --> 00:58:08,400 ..when the beavers will be back.