Did you know: about operation Beaver drop? ( not called that, but should be)
They airdropped beavers in the remote Chamberlain Basin (now part of the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness in Central Idaho) in 1948 by the Idaho Fish and Game department, using surplus WWII parachutes and spring-loaded boxes to relocate nuisance beavers from populated areas to establish new colonies and restore wetlands, a method considered highly successful.
Why They Did It Problem: Beavers in areas like Payette Lake near McCall, Idaho, were causing property damage.
Solution: Idaho Fish and Game officer Elmo Heter devised a way to move them to the remote, roadless Chamberlain Basin, where they could thrive and benefit the ecosystem. Cost-Effective: It was cheaper and more effective than overland transport by mules, which struggled with the animals.
How it Worked The Beaver: A test beaver named "Geronimo" proved the concept.
The Drop: Beavers were placed in custom wooden crates with World War II surplus parachutes , designed to open on impact. The Result: The beavers successfully built dams, restored wetlands, and created vital habitats for other species, a success that continues today.
Apparently beavers were dropped by parachute into Georgia in the late 1940's after they had almost been eliminated from the state by trapping and habitat loss. It was a small-scale operation, apparently, according to my grandfather.
Wait.. Huh?? "Beavers were placed in custom wooden crates with World War II surplus parachutes , designed to open on impact."
I "think" they meant to convey the crates open on impact.... not the parachutes. At least thats what I hope they meant...otherwise their version of Successful needs some explaining. 😀
