The WYldlife Fund allows donors to make restricted gifts to fund a passion which is of most interest and relevancy. This model allows the donor faith and confidence that their donation is headed directly to an area of most passion. Thanks to a generous gift by Mary and Charlie Rumsey of Meeteetse, WY we have established a fund which directly supports the majestic moose and the first investment from this fund supports beaver translocation and expansion across Wyoming in key geographical areas.
The very first investment from the moose fund went to support the purchase and fabrication of a beaver translocation trailer for the Wyoming Game and Fish Department!
Purpose and Need
Resource managers have long recognized the role of beaver in creating and maintaining habitat associated with river ecosystems. Beavers, or more specifically the dams they build, can drastically alter these river ecosystems by impounding water. These alterations can result in a multitude of benefits, including higher water tables, reconnected and expanded floodplains, higher late season base flows, expanded wetlands, improved water quality, and more diversity and richness in the populations of plants, birds, fish, amphibians, reptiles, and mammals.
Beavers were extirpated from many drainages in North America during the peak of the beaver pelt market in the mid-1800’s. While efforts to reestablish beaver populations were undertaken in Wyoming in the 1940’s, beavers are still absent in many stream segments, especially where these segments are isolated from core beaver populations associated with larger river systems at lower elevations. It is estimated that beaver populations in Wyoming are only ¼ of historical populations (Olson). The absence of beavers in many of these stream ecosystems has led to degradation of streams, shrinking of riparian areas and loss of habitat for the many species of fish and wildlife that depend upon healthy stream and riparian habitats.
Through this gift, the Rumsey Family is standing behind the efforts of Terrestrial Habitat Biologist, Jerry Altermatt and the Wyoming Game and Fish Department in their commitment to strategically utilizing these ‘ecosystem engineers’ and the positive enhancements they bring to the landscape and habitat.
The WYldlife Fund thanks Mary and Charlie for their incredible commitment to the wildlife of Wyoming and their jumpstart of the moose fund! If you would be interested in investing in the moose fund please reach out to us at 307-316-3863 or email chris@thewyldlifefund.org.