For much of the last century, the beaver was largely missing from many North American rivers. Intense trapping for fur had reduced populations so severely that, in many regions, the animal almost vanished from landscapes where it had once been common.

North America's beaver population faced near extinction due to the fur trade. Fashion changes and conservation efforts allowed their numbers to slowly recover. Remarkably,…

For much of the last century, the beaver was largely missing from many North American rivers. Intense trapping for fur had reduced populations so severely that, in many regions,…