It’s been 75 years since Idaho parachuted beavers into backcountry. Here’s what went down

It’s been 75 years since Idaho parachuted beavers into backcountry. Here’s what went down

Is it a myth, or just oddly Idaho? Beavers were once dropped by parachute to repopulate remote mountain areas of Idaho. This educational film created by Idaho Fish and Game in the 1950s brings the story down to earth. | Idaho Fish and Game MCCALL (Idaho Statesman) — In August of 1948, a handful of white parachutes billowed out from the side of a small plane, each drifting toward the Earth with a wooden crate a few inches larger than an airplane …

It’s been 75 years since Idaho parachuted beavers into backcountry. Here’s what went down

The parachuting beavers have become an Idaho icon, and the project represents a pivotal shift in how the animals were managed, experts said.

It’s been 75 years since Idaho parachuted beavers into backcountry. Here’s what went down

75 years ago, in August of 1948, a handful of white parachutes billowed out from the side of a small plane, each drifting toward the Earth with a wooden crate a few inches larger than an airplane carry-on bag dangling below it. As the parachutes touched down in a backcountry Idaho meadow, the ropes suspending the crates slackened, letting the two sides of the box fall apart. Inside each crate was an unusual passenger: a beaver.