0:00:19 > 0:00:23To many, this picturesque town appears a rural idyll.
0:00:26 > 0:00:29A living evocation of the American frontier spirit.
0:00:37 > 0:00:40But it's also a town under siege.
0:01:03 > 0:01:06Unseen, operating largely at night,
0:01:06 > 0:01:09an interloper from the wild is creating havoc.
0:01:17 > 0:01:20It is a conflict between nature and civilisation.
0:01:20 > 0:01:23I planted this tree, I loved this tree, it was beautiful,
0:01:23 > 0:01:26it had really pretty flowers in the springtime.
0:01:26 > 0:01:28- Busy beaver.- Yeah, he sure is.
0:01:28 > 0:01:30WOOD CRACKS
0:01:30 > 0:01:32The culprit is...
0:01:32 > 0:01:33the beaver.
0:01:41 > 0:01:44They can create quite a bit of damage, one way or another.
0:01:45 > 0:01:47Whether felling trees...
0:01:49 > 0:01:54..or damming up waterways, they cause chaos.
0:01:54 > 0:01:56It took one or two nights,
0:01:56 > 0:01:59and everything was almost wiped out.
0:02:00 > 0:02:03- When that happens, tempers get frayed. - GUN IS COCKED
0:02:03 > 0:02:06I think a lot of people shoot them.
0:02:06 > 0:02:07GUNSHOT
0:02:07 > 0:02:09And there seems no end in sight.
0:02:09 > 0:02:14It's become an issue because we never had a way of remedying that
0:02:14 > 0:02:17without either removing them or...
0:02:17 > 0:02:19killing them.
0:02:22 > 0:02:26With humans and beavers living in such close proximity,
0:02:26 > 0:02:28is there no answer to...
0:02:28 > 0:02:30beavers behaving badly?
0:02:32 > 0:02:36We'll be back, and we'll just keep spinning our wheels
0:02:36 > 0:02:38until there can be a final resolution.
0:02:38 > 0:02:40George Richert for the Ten O'Clock News.
0:02:52 > 0:02:54BIRDS TWEET
0:03:02 > 0:03:06The magnificent Teton Mountains in Wyoming
0:03:06 > 0:03:09overlook one of America's great wilderness treasure troves...
0:03:11 > 0:03:13..the Grand Teton National Park.
0:03:31 > 0:03:33With spring around the corner,
0:03:33 > 0:03:35soon it'll be thronging with tourists...
0:03:37 > 0:03:42..enticed by the stunning scenery, and tantalised by the prospect
0:03:42 > 0:03:46of a close encounter with some of America's most iconic species.
0:03:54 > 0:03:58But with winter's icy grip still evident,
0:03:58 > 0:04:01the Park remains the preserve of its wildlife.
0:04:07 > 0:04:10And the thaw cues the appearance...
0:04:11 > 0:04:13..of beavers.
0:04:35 > 0:04:39These aquatic rodent rascals have spent the long winter months
0:04:39 > 0:04:41holed up inside their lodges.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47Only slipping out to retrieve branches
0:04:47 > 0:04:49and twigs from their underwater food caches.
0:04:58 > 0:05:00With supplies almost at an end,
0:05:00 > 0:05:04they take the opportunity to pilfer fresh shoots and branches.
0:05:10 > 0:05:12But even now the clock is ticking.
0:05:14 > 0:05:16Soon, young adults will be run out of the lodge
0:05:16 > 0:05:18to make their own way in the world.
0:05:20 > 0:05:23They'll have just six months to find a mate,
0:05:23 > 0:05:27establish their own homes, and build a food supply big enough
0:05:27 > 0:05:30to sustain them through Wyoming's long, cold winter.
0:05:40 > 0:05:44Fortunately, for these beavers, just a few miles downstream,
0:05:44 > 0:05:47is a ready supply of well-established trees and
0:05:47 > 0:05:52unoccupied ponds, just waiting to be colonised by an enterprising animal.
0:06:11 > 0:06:13It's called Jackson Hole.
0:06:19 > 0:06:23The problem is Jackson Hole's existing residents aren't
0:06:23 > 0:06:27necessarily keen on sharing space with these furry invaders.
0:06:27 > 0:06:30Beavers can do an awful lot of damage very quickly.
0:06:30 > 0:06:33It's amazing what they can do in one night.
0:06:33 > 0:06:35In financial terms, I think the beavers are costing me
0:06:35 > 0:06:37between 8,000 to 10,000.
0:06:37 > 0:06:42We've either got to figure out how to live with them, or we need to...
0:06:43 > 0:06:44..exterminate them.
0:06:49 > 0:06:53The town revels in its Wild West heritage
0:06:53 > 0:06:56and given it was named after a 19th century beaver trapper,
0:06:56 > 0:07:01you might imagine the response to an invasion of troublesome beavers
0:07:01 > 0:07:04would be a run on ammunition in the local gun store.
0:07:04 > 0:07:06GUN IS COCKED
0:07:07 > 0:07:09Well, not exactly.
0:07:09 > 0:07:11GUN IS UNCOCKED
0:07:13 > 0:07:18Jackson boasts its own beaver buster, Drew Reid.
0:07:23 > 0:07:28Like a Wild West sheriff, Drew is tasked with sorting out
0:07:28 > 0:07:31any conflict between humans and beavers.
0:07:38 > 0:07:42People start noticing damage when things start falling out here,
0:07:42 > 0:07:44the beavers start getting a little more active
0:07:44 > 0:07:46and they don't want it to get out of hand.
0:07:46 > 0:07:49So that's when I come in and try to help them out.
0:07:49 > 0:07:52One of the worst cases of beaver damage I've ever seen was
0:07:52 > 0:07:56a property that had been unattended for a couple of weeks,
0:07:56 > 0:07:59and when I showed up to take a look at the damage,
0:07:59 > 0:08:02there were approximately 50 very large trees down.
0:08:02 > 0:08:04It was basically beaver Armageddon.
0:08:09 > 0:08:13Drew's usual solution is to humanely trap problem beavers
0:08:13 > 0:08:16before relocating them to wilderness areas around Jackson.
0:08:18 > 0:08:21And with spring knocking on his door...
0:08:22 > 0:08:25..he's getting ready for the phone to start ringing.
0:08:25 > 0:08:28So, this is where my traps have been sitting all winter
0:08:28 > 0:08:31to stay away from other scents that can get on
0:08:31 > 0:08:33and cause some issues when we're trapping.
0:08:33 > 0:08:37These are kind of my designated beaver gloves, if you will,
0:08:37 > 0:08:40and we try to remember to wear our gloves every time
0:08:40 > 0:08:42so we don't get our own scent on here.
0:08:42 > 0:08:46It may not be that big of an issue, but we just don't take any chances.
0:08:47 > 0:08:51Before going on duty, Drew likes to make sure his equipment
0:08:51 > 0:08:53is in proper working order.
0:08:53 > 0:08:55Let's get this thing set.
0:08:55 > 0:08:59Known as suitcase traps, these devices snap closed
0:08:59 > 0:09:03around the beaver, encasing it in a steel mesh cage.
0:09:04 > 0:09:08But if the springs are rusty or the trigger catches, the trap could
0:09:08 > 0:09:13malfunction, potentially injuring the beaver or allowing it to escape.
0:09:15 > 0:09:16Let's test this guy out,
0:09:16 > 0:09:18make sure it's strong enough to work for us this year.
0:09:20 > 0:09:22I like that, that's strong enough.
0:09:23 > 0:09:26A lot of people comment on how violent these traps are,
0:09:26 > 0:09:28but it's better than a bullet in the head.
0:09:36 > 0:09:39Drew isn't the only person in Jackson whose workload
0:09:39 > 0:09:42is altered by the beaver's emergence.
0:09:44 > 0:09:49Wildlife cameraman Jeff Hogan has been filming beavers for 30 years.
0:09:50 > 0:09:54And the spring thaw is his cue to check up on some old friends.
0:09:59 > 0:10:03This is one of my favourite beaver ponds. It's really old.
0:10:03 > 0:10:07It's just this giant lodge down there, under the pond,
0:10:07 > 0:10:08a beautiful big dam
0:10:08 > 0:10:12that makes a beautiful big pond that runs off to the North.
0:10:13 > 0:10:17The Tetons make up a wonderful backdrop,
0:10:17 > 0:10:21and the light here is just stunning in the evening.
0:10:22 > 0:10:24This dam is the sexiest dam out of the lot.
0:10:28 > 0:10:32My favourite angle, you know, is to shoot nice and low
0:10:32 > 0:10:35so that you're eye-to-eye to the beaver.
0:10:35 > 0:10:37It's a wonderful perspective.
0:10:39 > 0:10:44Like most cameramen, Jeff knows that filming wildlife is a waiting game.
0:10:52 > 0:10:54We've got a beaver right over here.
0:10:54 > 0:10:56He's just surfaced.
0:11:00 > 0:11:03Oh, wow! There you go.
0:11:05 > 0:11:08They're the largest rodents in North America.
0:11:09 > 0:11:12But, even so, they're shy, wary creatures that like to
0:11:12 > 0:11:15stick to the protective environment of their pond.
0:11:20 > 0:11:24They generally don't come out until just before dusk.
0:11:25 > 0:11:28And it's only once night has fallen...
0:11:28 > 0:11:29BEAVER MUNCHES ON TREE
0:11:29 > 0:11:31..that they really get to work.
0:11:42 > 0:11:46They slip back to the lodge around dawn.
0:11:46 > 0:11:49So, often the only visible sign of a beaver's presence...
0:11:50 > 0:11:52..is the clues it leaves behind.
0:11:55 > 0:11:58But there's always the exception.
0:12:02 > 0:12:03It's midday.
0:12:06 > 0:12:09Drew's been called out by a caretaker who's concerned
0:12:09 > 0:12:13about the sudden appearance of a beaver on one of his properties.
0:12:14 > 0:12:17- Looks like me in the morning.- Yeah!
0:12:17 > 0:12:18THEY LAUGH
0:12:18 > 0:12:23The property is surrounded with young aspen and cottonwood trees.
0:12:23 > 0:12:27It's all very tempting for beavers, given they survive almost
0:12:27 > 0:12:31exclusively on a diet of twigs, leaves, and tree bark.
0:12:31 > 0:12:35You know, they've been relying on their food caches
0:12:35 > 0:12:39all winter long, chewing on old bark, and this fresh vegetation,
0:12:39 > 0:12:41probably like candy to these guys.
0:12:44 > 0:12:47The landowner has wrapped a lot of his trees to protect them.
0:12:49 > 0:12:53But even that won't put off a really determined rodent.
0:12:57 > 0:13:00They damage the landscaping, they kill a lot of trees,
0:13:00 > 0:13:02they plug up the outlets
0:13:02 > 0:13:04so that the water level comes up and floods the yard.
0:13:04 > 0:13:08The last batch of beavers we had in this pond probably
0:13:08 > 0:13:11did 10,000 damage overnight.
0:13:11 > 0:13:14I think I'll go ahead and set most of these traps on this pond.
0:13:36 > 0:13:39Most homeowners want any interloping beavers trapped
0:13:39 > 0:13:41and relocated as soon as possible.
0:13:43 > 0:13:46Especially if they're as brazen as this one.
0:13:46 > 0:13:49I've never seen one quite that indifferent before.
0:13:55 > 0:13:57To increase the chances of a successful capture,
0:13:57 > 0:14:00Drew camouflages the trap...
0:14:01 > 0:14:04He's watching me right now do this.
0:14:04 > 0:14:08..before baiting it with a scent lure.
0:14:08 > 0:14:12The lure is designed to draw the target in through sheer curiosity.
0:14:14 > 0:14:16It mimics the smell another beaver would make
0:14:16 > 0:14:18when marking its territory with...
0:14:19 > 0:14:22..a urine-based paste.
0:14:22 > 0:14:24How vile does that stuff smell?
0:14:25 > 0:14:27- HE SNIFFS - Mm.
0:14:27 > 0:14:30- It's not too bad. - No. But it's pungent.
0:14:30 > 0:14:32I love the smell of this stuff.
0:14:32 > 0:14:35Whether the lure will work with this beaver
0:14:35 > 0:14:37is another matter altogether.
0:14:38 > 0:14:41Exposing itself like this in the middle of the day
0:14:41 > 0:14:44is distinctly un-beaver-like behaviour.
0:14:44 > 0:14:46Did you train this beaver?
0:14:46 > 0:14:49Yes, my radio-controlled beaver. I got it here for you.
0:14:49 > 0:14:52LAUGHTER
0:14:52 > 0:14:56A second trap should increase Drew's chances of a capture.
0:14:59 > 0:15:02Although this beaver appears underwhelmed.
0:15:02 > 0:15:07This might be his way of saying, "Yeah, right(!) Nice traps."
0:15:07 > 0:15:10"I've seen those before!" Yeah, exactly!
0:15:11 > 0:15:13Sure you want to move him?
0:15:18 > 0:15:19See you in the morning, beave.
0:15:23 > 0:15:25Adult beavers are very difficult to age
0:15:25 > 0:15:30and almost impossible to sex without a very intimate examination.
0:15:34 > 0:15:37But the chances are this is a two-year-old adult,
0:15:37 > 0:15:41the age at which beavers are usually pushed out of the lodge.
0:15:44 > 0:15:47Beavers are monogamous and breed during the winter.
0:15:51 > 0:15:55Let's face it, locked in by the ice for months on end,
0:15:55 > 0:15:57there's not much else to do.
0:16:00 > 0:16:04They'll typically have a litter of two to four kits in the spring.
0:16:04 > 0:16:07Initially, these kits will live off their mother's milk,
0:16:07 > 0:16:10and they'll start swimming after a few days.
0:16:10 > 0:16:11Then, after about a month,
0:16:11 > 0:16:15they'll be weaned onto a diet of twigs and leaves.
0:16:15 > 0:16:17Lucky them.
0:16:20 > 0:16:23Their fur isn't waterproof initially, but that all changes
0:16:23 > 0:16:28thanks to continual massaging with...bodily secretions.
0:16:29 > 0:16:32This tireless grooming also helps maintain
0:16:32 > 0:16:35an additional waterproofing layer of air within their fur.
0:16:37 > 0:16:39After two years, during which time
0:16:39 > 0:16:42a couple more litters may have swelled the growing family,
0:16:42 > 0:16:46it'll be "heigh-ho and off you go" for these adolescent beavers
0:16:46 > 0:16:48as they get shoved out of the lodge
0:16:48 > 0:16:50to make way for their younger siblings.
0:17:05 > 0:17:09Using streams, rivers and waterways, these young adults,
0:17:09 > 0:17:12known as dispersers or...
0:17:12 > 0:17:14floaters,
0:17:14 > 0:17:17may travel several miles in search of a mate
0:17:17 > 0:17:20and an unoccupied waterway in which to set up home.
0:17:23 > 0:17:25It's often these renegade rodents
0:17:25 > 0:17:28that Drew is called out to deal with in the spring.
0:17:33 > 0:17:38He's returned to find out if he's caught the remote-controlled beaver.
0:17:39 > 0:17:40Uh...
0:17:41 > 0:17:43Oh, you gotta be kidding me!
0:17:45 > 0:17:47Well, trap's empty. It's not good.
0:17:47 > 0:17:52There's going to be times where I don't capture beavers. I'm not 100%.
0:17:52 > 0:17:57You know, they're just... sometimes better than I am.
0:17:59 > 0:18:01There are no fresh signs of damage,
0:18:01 > 0:18:03so it looks like the beaver was just casing the joint
0:18:03 > 0:18:05rather than actually moving in.
0:18:07 > 0:18:08Skunked again.
0:18:11 > 0:18:13Gotta love springtime trapping...
0:18:14 > 0:18:16With several other calls to respond to,
0:18:16 > 0:18:20Drew decides not to leave the traps in place any longer.
0:18:20 > 0:18:23Ah, I'll be able to put these traps to use somewhere else, anyways.
0:18:27 > 0:18:31'The beavers plug the culverts and create flooding problems.'
0:18:31 > 0:18:34We were gone for a couple of days and came back.
0:18:34 > 0:18:38And I left my flower garden. It was flooded.
0:18:38 > 0:18:40It was almost up to my knees, and...
0:18:41 > 0:18:44..needless to say, that was a major inconvenience,
0:18:44 > 0:18:47and the flowers are suffering.
0:18:57 > 0:19:00Drew's been called out by another caretaker,
0:19:00 > 0:19:03who's chanced upon some incriminating evidence.
0:19:05 > 0:19:10Chewed-on branches right there in the water. It's pretty typical.
0:19:10 > 0:19:13Beavers will often turn a shallow cove like this
0:19:13 > 0:19:15into a makeshift restaurant,
0:19:15 > 0:19:19pulling branches into the water, where they can safely eat the bark.
0:19:21 > 0:19:24Any tree in the vicinity is easy pickings...
0:19:25 > 0:19:29..and the culprit here appears to have been particularly determined.
0:19:29 > 0:19:34I honestly have never seen a beaver chewing through netting like this.
0:19:37 > 0:19:41The branches aren't just used as a food supply.
0:19:41 > 0:19:44They get recycled as building materials.
0:19:46 > 0:19:48Not a trick you can play with hamburgers.
0:19:51 > 0:19:53So, where's the activity at?
0:19:53 > 0:19:56And it's the sudden appearance of a lodge
0:19:56 > 0:19:59that alerted this caretaker to his new arrivals.
0:19:59 > 0:20:03So, this is quite a bit bigger than it was last time I was here.
0:20:04 > 0:20:06All these branches on top of that mud are new,
0:20:06 > 0:20:10and all this debris here in the water is new.
0:20:10 > 0:20:12OK.
0:20:12 > 0:20:15So far, the damage is fairly minor,
0:20:15 > 0:20:18but if the beavers build a dam on the pond outlet,
0:20:18 > 0:20:21the rising water level could easily flood the house,
0:20:21 > 0:20:25which is worth several million dollars.
0:20:25 > 0:20:27What was that?
0:20:30 > 0:20:32There he goes, right there. Check it out.
0:20:32 > 0:20:35That's him swimming right over there.
0:20:36 > 0:20:37Well, it's proof positive!
0:20:37 > 0:20:39THEY LAUGH
0:20:39 > 0:20:41Saying hello!
0:20:41 > 0:20:44- Right, I've seen what I need to see. Let's go get the traps.- All right.
0:20:47 > 0:20:51A second beaver appears while Drew's back is turned.
0:20:52 > 0:20:55So it's a good job he's brought two traps.
0:21:00 > 0:21:03The beavers are probably unable to make out the traps,
0:21:03 > 0:21:06as their sight is relatively poor.
0:21:06 > 0:21:09But their sense of smell is excellent,
0:21:09 > 0:21:13and their noses are clearly telling them that Drew represents a threat.
0:21:19 > 0:21:23A violent slap of the tail is a beaver's main defence mechanism,
0:21:23 > 0:21:27a way of telling an intruder, human or otherwise, to back off.
0:21:32 > 0:21:33DREW LAUGHS
0:21:40 > 0:21:42OK, that trap's hot.
0:21:42 > 0:21:46With two traps set, Drew is happy to leave the beavers to it.
0:21:47 > 0:21:49If everything goes to plan,
0:21:49 > 0:21:51they'll be in custody by the morning.
0:21:53 > 0:21:56Good luck, beave.
0:21:59 > 0:22:01BIRDSONG
0:22:10 > 0:22:12Uh-oh.
0:22:12 > 0:22:14We've got one.
0:22:15 > 0:22:16Good. First one of the season.
0:22:18 > 0:22:19Unfortunately, it looks like
0:22:19 > 0:22:23the second beaver has evaded the long arm of the law.
0:22:23 > 0:22:26Bummer we didn't get the other one. But we'll get it.
0:22:28 > 0:22:31The chances of a successful relocation will be improved
0:22:31 > 0:22:35if Drew can catch both beavers and then release the pair together.
0:22:36 > 0:22:37OK...
0:22:39 > 0:22:41So he leaves a couple of traps in place
0:22:41 > 0:22:44before escorting the first beaver from the premises.
0:22:50 > 0:22:52- TV REPORT:- Nature appears to have the upper hand
0:22:52 > 0:22:54since animal-cruelty complaints
0:22:54 > 0:22:56stopped the practice of drowning the beavers.
0:22:56 > 0:22:57News 4's George Richert
0:22:57 > 0:23:01reports that the industrious rodents are as busy as ever.
0:23:01 > 0:23:03Beavers are prolific builders,
0:23:03 > 0:23:07chewing down and dragging whatever trees they can to build a dam.
0:23:09 > 0:23:13While he's waiting to see if his traps snare the second beaver,
0:23:13 > 0:23:17Drew's keeping the first one in a temporary holding facility.
0:23:17 > 0:23:18We've got a 39-pound beaver,
0:23:18 > 0:23:21which technically - and it is just an estimate -
0:23:21 > 0:23:23is a three-year-old beaver.
0:23:25 > 0:23:26The beaver is ear-tagged.
0:23:28 > 0:23:30Got it. Perfect.
0:23:30 > 0:23:32If Drew finds it in the wild,
0:23:32 > 0:23:34he'll be able to judge how far it's travelled.
0:23:35 > 0:23:39And if it's re-caught, he'll be able to clock it as a repeat offender.
0:23:42 > 0:23:45Put you away, hopefully for just the night.
0:23:49 > 0:23:50See you in the morning!
0:23:54 > 0:23:57Drew's thoughts turn to beaver number two.
0:23:59 > 0:24:03But, despite leaving his traps out for several nights...
0:24:06 > 0:24:07..he draws a blank.
0:24:09 > 0:24:12It doesn't look like we got the other one.
0:24:12 > 0:24:14Struck out.
0:24:14 > 0:24:16It looks like it's moved on.
0:24:20 > 0:24:24Beavers will travel miles in search of a suitable pond,
0:24:24 > 0:24:28so Drew's chances of capturing it now are effectively nil.
0:24:29 > 0:24:32Well, it's aggravating as hell not to catch the second beaver.
0:24:32 > 0:24:35The other beaver has been in the trailer for three days now,
0:24:35 > 0:24:38so I'm going to have to go release that particular beaver.
0:24:39 > 0:24:41'I just can't hold it any longer.'
0:24:52 > 0:24:56With the detainee safely transferred to a...beaver box...
0:25:02 > 0:25:06..Drew takes it to a release point well away from town.
0:25:06 > 0:25:09OK, let's get this beaver out of here.
0:25:09 > 0:25:11You're fine. Yeah, there you go.
0:25:19 > 0:25:20There you go, buddy.
0:25:20 > 0:25:22HE CHUCKLES
0:25:26 > 0:25:29Hopefully, the beaver will find another mate
0:25:29 > 0:25:32and a good spot in which to establish a new home.
0:25:33 > 0:25:36So, this is the first beaver of the season.
0:25:36 > 0:25:41Mostly likely there's going to be 30, maybe 40 more of these to go.
0:25:41 > 0:25:44Hopefully, the vast majority of them do good things and...
0:25:45 > 0:25:47..I don't have to capture them again!
0:25:51 > 0:25:56Beavers are a keystone species, and as long as they're in the wild,
0:25:56 > 0:25:59the ponds they create benefit a huge range of wildlife...
0:26:02 > 0:26:06..which is why Drew's employers, the Wyoming Wetlands Society,
0:26:06 > 0:26:09started the relocation programme in the first place.
0:26:11 > 0:26:16Well, the beaver relocation programme is kind of a win-win situation.
0:26:16 > 0:26:20We're taking an animal that could potentially be killed
0:26:20 > 0:26:24just because it's just doing its own thing.
0:26:26 > 0:26:31And you're moving it to an area that it can do some really good work.
0:26:38 > 0:26:42It's thought that 80% of the local wildlife
0:26:42 > 0:26:45benefit from wetlands in some form or fashion.
0:26:55 > 0:26:58At one time, beavers were widespread throughout the USA.
0:27:01 > 0:27:03But the European fashion for felt hats
0:27:03 > 0:27:07meant that fur trappers decimated their populations
0:27:07 > 0:27:09in the 18th and 19th centuries.
0:27:10 > 0:27:13It was only after a series of reintroduction programmes
0:27:13 > 0:27:16were carried out in the last century
0:27:16 > 0:27:18that beavers became widespread again,
0:27:18 > 0:27:21inevitably bringing them into conflict
0:27:21 > 0:27:23with another expanding population...
0:27:26 > 0:27:28..humans.
0:27:28 > 0:27:32I understand their necessity in the ecosystem.
0:27:32 > 0:27:38I just wish they would do what they like to do on someone else's land.
0:27:38 > 0:27:40You know, I'm not at all opposed
0:27:40 > 0:27:43to trapping a beaver and using its pelt.
0:27:43 > 0:27:47My wife has a nice, wonderful beaver vest with a bobcat fringe.
0:27:47 > 0:27:48You know?
0:27:54 > 0:27:57Oh, this is nice. Yeah, this is real nice.
0:28:01 > 0:28:04Jeff has found a new spot for filming wildlife.
0:28:04 > 0:28:06Oh, very nice, very nice.
0:28:13 > 0:28:14Well, this is lovely.
0:28:17 > 0:28:22It's a hotel and cabin complex close to the centre of Jackson.
0:28:25 > 0:28:29With a stream running through the grounds, it's a haven for wildlife.
0:28:30 > 0:28:35And Jeff's been tipped off about one particular pair of new arrivals.
0:28:42 > 0:28:45Oh! Wow, there you go!
0:28:46 > 0:28:48This is great!
0:28:48 > 0:28:52Now, these beavers are just swimming in and out through here.
0:28:54 > 0:28:56There's over 100 cabins here,
0:28:56 > 0:28:58and they've just made this place their home.
0:28:58 > 0:29:02I never would have expected it. It's just absolutely amazing.
0:29:06 > 0:29:09The attraction for the beavers is obvious.
0:29:10 > 0:29:13There's fresh food on hand...
0:29:13 > 0:29:16the perfect spot to start a lodge...
0:29:16 > 0:29:20a creek providing access to additional supplies,
0:29:20 > 0:29:22and the presence of people will ensure
0:29:22 > 0:29:25there are no natural predators sniffing around
0:29:25 > 0:29:27looking for an easy kill.
0:29:32 > 0:29:35So, this has been a very successful night.
0:29:37 > 0:29:39We've seen two beavers.
0:29:39 > 0:29:41And I will keep checking in on this place
0:29:41 > 0:29:42and just see how it progresses.
0:29:47 > 0:29:49A little warning.
0:29:49 > 0:29:52It seems the beavers haven't proved popular with everybody.
0:29:55 > 0:29:57Basically, the decision was made
0:29:57 > 0:29:59by the landowner and some of the neighbours that...
0:29:59 > 0:30:02the beavers had to go, so...
0:30:02 > 0:30:05hopefully we can help them out there and help the beavers out.
0:30:07 > 0:30:08OK, the trap's hot.
0:30:09 > 0:30:11Thanks to Jeff's diligence,
0:30:11 > 0:30:14Drew knows there are two beavers living here.
0:30:14 > 0:30:16So he's brought his 'n' hers traps.
0:30:18 > 0:30:20Come back tomorrow and see what we got.
0:30:20 > 0:30:22He may not have to wait that long.
0:30:23 > 0:30:26Keep an eye on the trap. He's going to the trap.
0:30:26 > 0:30:27Maybe it's his aftershave,
0:30:27 > 0:30:31but once again he's tricked a beaver into breaking cover.
0:30:36 > 0:30:38Come on, get on there...
0:30:40 > 0:30:42Come on.
0:30:44 > 0:30:46We got ya!
0:30:46 > 0:30:49Look at that! HE CHUCKLES
0:30:49 > 0:30:51Welcome to Jackson.
0:30:53 > 0:30:54Hey...!
0:30:55 > 0:30:57As Drew knows only too well,
0:30:57 > 0:31:01there's nothing better than catching a beaver at the end of the day...
0:31:02 > 0:31:03Don't you bite my leg!
0:31:04 > 0:31:09..unless it's waking up to another one the next morning.
0:31:09 > 0:31:11Let's see what we got here, if we got anything.
0:31:14 > 0:31:15Yeah, yeah!
0:31:17 > 0:31:18We got ya!
0:31:21 > 0:31:23You're fine.
0:31:23 > 0:31:25You're fine.
0:31:25 > 0:31:26You're all right.
0:31:28 > 0:31:32This makes me happy. I didn't want to break up another happy home.
0:31:34 > 0:31:38It's not just a case of playing happy families.
0:31:38 > 0:31:39Releasing the beavers as a pair
0:31:39 > 0:31:43means they'll double both their food-finding capacity
0:31:43 > 0:31:46and their labour force when it comes to establishing a new home...
0:31:46 > 0:31:48That's good.
0:31:48 > 0:31:51Key factors which could ensure a successful relocation.
0:31:51 > 0:31:53On to the next pair.
0:31:56 > 0:31:58If we didn't have somebody like Drew around,
0:31:58 > 0:32:00it'd be a real big problem here.
0:32:00 > 0:32:03Having to come out here two or three times a week,
0:32:03 > 0:32:04pull sticks out of the culvert
0:32:04 > 0:32:06interrupts my day,
0:32:06 > 0:32:08then I either got to come out here at night after work
0:32:08 > 0:32:10or first thing in the morning,
0:32:10 > 0:32:14and then, if I leave for a weekend, I might come back to a big mess.
0:32:25 > 0:32:29It's summer, and tourists are flocking into town,
0:32:29 > 0:32:35keen to enjoy a Wild West experience and the chance to view the wildlife.
0:32:46 > 0:32:50Even the humble beaver gets its own summer fan club.
0:32:50 > 0:32:52CAMERAS CLICK
0:32:57 > 0:33:02But for most beavers, there's no time to bask in the limelight.
0:33:06 > 0:33:08For these relentless rodents,
0:33:08 > 0:33:12spring and summer is prime dam-building time...
0:33:15 > 0:33:19..when old dams are patched up after early-season floods
0:33:19 > 0:33:22and fresh ones are built to establish new ponds.
0:33:30 > 0:33:33Their dams can extend remarkable distances.
0:33:35 > 0:33:38In fact, the largest known one, in Alberta, Canada,
0:33:38 > 0:33:40is over half a mile long.
0:33:45 > 0:33:49These huge structures are created thanks to a mixture of tireless work
0:33:49 > 0:33:53and the beavers' amazing evolutionary adaptations.
0:33:57 > 0:34:01Their front paws are dextrous enough to manoeuvre branches into place.
0:34:05 > 0:34:07And they can walk on their back feet,
0:34:07 > 0:34:10freeing up their front paws to carry mud up to the dam...
0:34:13 > 0:34:17..before stuffing it in to make the construction watertight.
0:34:21 > 0:34:26With webbed rear feet and a powerful flipper-shaped tail...
0:34:27 > 0:34:30..they're agile swimmers,
0:34:30 > 0:34:34capable of shuttling back and forth with the minimum of effort.
0:34:49 > 0:34:51And exceeding the best human divers,
0:34:51 > 0:34:54they can hold their breath for up to 15 minutes...
0:34:55 > 0:34:59..plenty of time to excavate mud from the bottom of the pond.
0:35:08 > 0:35:11This mud fest is a win-win for the beavers.
0:35:11 > 0:35:14As well as supplying valuable building materials,
0:35:14 > 0:35:17all that digging makes the pond deeper,
0:35:17 > 0:35:20making it less likely to freeze solid during winter.
0:35:25 > 0:35:28Once the dam is finished, the area behind it floods,
0:35:28 > 0:35:33and the beavers can just swim up to fresh supplies of trees and bushes.
0:35:39 > 0:35:42Although they will travel across land,
0:35:42 > 0:35:44beavers know there's much less chance
0:35:44 > 0:35:48of being jumped by a bear or a wolf if they stick to the water.
0:35:50 > 0:35:53And by cunningly digging canals and channels,
0:35:53 > 0:35:56they can extend the pond to reach any choice specimens.
0:36:10 > 0:36:13Big trees make such tempting targets,
0:36:13 > 0:36:15because as far as a beaver's concerned,
0:36:15 > 0:36:17all those branches and twigs
0:36:17 > 0:36:20make them a supermarket and building merchant's rolled into one.
0:36:22 > 0:36:24And their incredibly strong jaw muscles,
0:36:24 > 0:36:26combined with sharp, enamelled incisors,
0:36:26 > 0:36:30mean no tree is safe from their felling felony.
0:36:33 > 0:36:37With their lives dependent on these acts of arboreal anarchy,
0:36:37 > 0:36:40it's no surprise that a single beaver
0:36:40 > 0:36:43can fell more than 200 trees a year...
0:37:03 > 0:37:06..which is why Jackson residents call in Drew
0:37:06 > 0:37:08at the first sign of trouble.
0:37:12 > 0:37:17- We got a lot of activity just right here.- Right, right.
0:37:17 > 0:37:20- Oh, he's taken a tree down right here.- Oh, there's two trees.
0:37:20 > 0:37:23- Oh, yeah.- That tree right there.
0:37:23 > 0:37:25You know, if you look over towards that house, Jeff,
0:37:25 > 0:37:29there's some prize aspens over there really close to the house.
0:37:29 > 0:37:31They want the beavers gone.
0:37:31 > 0:37:34Drew's hoping Jeff's specialist surveillance skills
0:37:34 > 0:37:39will help determine how many beavers are responsible for the damage.
0:37:39 > 0:37:41Oh, oh, beaver.
0:37:45 > 0:37:49- See that? Now, here he goes, scent marking.- Keep it down, keep it down.
0:37:51 > 0:37:55It might be a reaction to Drew and Jeff's arrival,
0:37:55 > 0:37:58but by smearing its own unique urine-based paste
0:37:58 > 0:38:00over a specially constructed mound,
0:38:00 > 0:38:03this beaver is making a clear statement.
0:38:05 > 0:38:08He's saying, "This is my pond. Period."
0:38:16 > 0:38:18It's not just marking out its territory.
0:38:18 > 0:38:22This beaver has been busy in other ways, too.
0:38:22 > 0:38:24He's got quite a bit of food stashed over there.
0:38:26 > 0:38:29These aren't just preparations for winter.
0:38:30 > 0:38:32If this beaver is single,
0:38:32 > 0:38:35a well-appointed pond might help attract a mate.
0:38:35 > 0:38:39He's found himself a wonderful place to live...
0:38:39 > 0:38:40as far as he's concerned.
0:38:40 > 0:38:44I was about to say, he's going to get evicted soon.
0:38:50 > 0:38:53Any eviction will depend on trapping the beaver,
0:38:53 > 0:38:56and Drew is relying on his scent lure to work its magic.
0:38:58 > 0:39:00OK, it's hot.
0:39:01 > 0:39:06So far, Drew's lure doesn't seem to be working.
0:39:08 > 0:39:10I think he's literally munching on the lawn.
0:39:11 > 0:39:14I've never seen a beaver grazing like that.
0:39:15 > 0:39:20Starter over, it's time to think about the main course.
0:39:20 > 0:39:24- Oh, he's thinking about that tree, though, man.- Uh-oh.
0:39:24 > 0:39:25Sneaky little bugger!
0:39:30 > 0:39:32Perhaps it's got a whiff of the lure...
0:39:34 > 0:39:39..but something has distracted the beaver's attention from its stomach.
0:39:39 > 0:39:41Back to the water.
0:39:41 > 0:39:44Yeah, let's get this done quick. That beaver wants back over here.
0:39:51 > 0:39:53Let's get out of here.
0:39:53 > 0:39:55Good luck, beave.
0:39:55 > 0:39:57With so many large trees at risk,
0:39:57 > 0:40:00Drew knows his traps are all that stand
0:40:00 > 0:40:04between the property and another beaver Armageddon.
0:40:13 > 0:40:14Ah, we got him, we got him, man.
0:40:15 > 0:40:18- Oh!- Smaller than I thought.
0:40:18 > 0:40:21- DREW CHUCKLES - It IS smaller!
0:40:21 > 0:40:24Let's get this guy out of here.
0:40:24 > 0:40:26Say goodbye to your first home, buddy.
0:40:40 > 0:40:43Drew is taking this beaver over 40 miles away,
0:40:43 > 0:40:47way out into the Bridger-Teton National Forest.
0:40:48 > 0:40:54It's an area that's home to deer, elk and even cougars,
0:40:54 > 0:40:58all species that will benefit from a beaver creating new wetlands.
0:41:01 > 0:41:02See ya, buddy.
0:41:02 > 0:41:07Off he goes, into this new home territory.
0:41:07 > 0:41:11You can get into all the trouble you want up here. Just stay out of town.
0:41:15 > 0:41:18So far, it's been a relatively slow year for Drew.
0:41:18 > 0:41:20But as summer rolls on...
0:41:22 > 0:41:24Sounds good! HE LAUGHS
0:41:24 > 0:41:26..the calls start flooding in.
0:41:28 > 0:41:30There you go.
0:41:42 > 0:41:45And Drew knows that as winter approaches,
0:41:45 > 0:41:47beaver activity will snowball.
0:41:48 > 0:41:50OK, buddy.
0:41:55 > 0:42:00When I planted some big willows and five or six aspens many years ago,
0:42:00 > 0:42:051,500 worth of willows, 1,000 worth of aspen,
0:42:05 > 0:42:06one night they're there
0:42:06 > 0:42:09and the next morning they're in a pile in the middle of the pond.
0:42:09 > 0:42:13Since that time, I've definitely been in defence mode.
0:42:40 > 0:42:41It's autumn...
0:42:42 > 0:42:46..and human activity around Jackson is slacking off.
0:42:49 > 0:42:52But beaver activity has gone into overdrive.
0:42:56 > 0:43:01Winter is just weeks away, and, like people and Christmas,
0:43:01 > 0:43:04beavers know that there are only so many "shopping days"
0:43:04 > 0:43:06before the ice comes.
0:43:10 > 0:43:13Top of the list is preparing their hide-out.
0:43:15 > 0:43:19Beavers can build a new lodge in just 20 days,
0:43:19 > 0:43:23shifting around three tonnes of material in the process.
0:43:27 > 0:43:29Even existing lodges get a make-over.
0:43:34 > 0:43:38Extra mud and sticks provide insulation against the cold.
0:43:45 > 0:43:48And once this surface layer freezes,
0:43:48 > 0:43:50it'll prevent any desperate predators
0:43:50 > 0:43:55like wolves, cougars or coyotes breaking in in search of a snack.
0:43:59 > 0:44:02With their lives dependent on these preparations,
0:44:02 > 0:44:05it's make-or-break time for beavers and their families.
0:44:10 > 0:44:14And sometimes they get support where they might least expect it.
0:44:16 > 0:44:18The beaver were here first.
0:44:18 > 0:44:24We want to protect them and see if we can't find that happy medium.
0:44:24 > 0:44:27We're the ones that are crowding the wildlife.
0:44:27 > 0:44:30We're the ones that planted the trees that they need.
0:44:30 > 0:44:32It's really not the beavers' problem.
0:44:32 > 0:44:35We're kind of creating it, in a sense.
0:44:35 > 0:44:39So we're here to try to find harmony with the beaver
0:44:39 > 0:44:43and peace in our neighbourhoods as we move into his habitat.
0:44:45 > 0:44:47Oh, right here. Look at this.
0:44:47 > 0:44:50Drew's calls aren't always motivated by
0:44:50 > 0:44:53people worried about the damage beavers cause.
0:44:54 > 0:44:57This does completely freeze over in the winter,
0:44:57 > 0:45:01so I don't know whether it'll freeze all the way down or...
0:45:01 > 0:45:02That's the crucial part.
0:45:02 > 0:45:05This time, he's been called out by a local homeowner
0:45:05 > 0:45:07who's concerned about a beaver
0:45:07 > 0:45:10that's been spotted in this shallow irrigation ditch.
0:45:10 > 0:45:14If they were to stick around here at this point, it would...
0:45:14 > 0:45:16COULD essentially be a suicide mission,
0:45:16 > 0:45:18trying to live in this ditch for the winter.
0:45:19 > 0:45:21If this ditch freezes up completely,
0:45:21 > 0:45:24the beaver will be forced to forage on land,
0:45:24 > 0:45:26making it easy meat for any predator.
0:45:27 > 0:45:29It's not a good place for them long-term.
0:45:29 > 0:45:32It doesn't really sound like a good place for them in the short term.
0:45:32 > 0:45:34I mean, I think...
0:45:34 > 0:45:39you know, one way or the other, they really need to live somewhere else.
0:45:39 > 0:45:42We'll do what we can, but if Jeff can give me a better idea,
0:45:42 > 0:45:44that'll be helpful.
0:45:44 > 0:45:45Absolutely.
0:45:47 > 0:45:49Agh!
0:45:49 > 0:45:50HE STRAINS
0:45:55 > 0:45:58Jeff is dealing with a blockage.
0:45:59 > 0:46:00Ooh!
0:46:01 > 0:46:04It's the drainage pipe at the downstream end of the ditch.
0:46:06 > 0:46:09It's been blocked, presumably by the beaver,
0:46:09 > 0:46:12in an attempt to turn the ditch into a viable pond.
0:46:12 > 0:46:14Mud.
0:46:14 > 0:46:17Vegetation. Sticks.
0:46:17 > 0:46:21He's hoping that unblocking the pipe will draw any beavers out,
0:46:21 > 0:46:23revealing just how many there are.
0:46:24 > 0:46:26Rocks.
0:46:26 > 0:46:27A lot of rocks.
0:46:28 > 0:46:32They were masons, these beavers. Stonemasons.
0:46:34 > 0:46:37Beavers instinctively build dams,
0:46:37 > 0:46:39and, like Pavlov's dogs,
0:46:39 > 0:46:43the sound of running water seems to drive them into construction frenzy,
0:46:43 > 0:46:46feeding a desperate urge to repair any leaks.
0:46:46 > 0:46:48HE STRAINS
0:46:48 > 0:46:50It's so packed in here, tight.
0:46:50 > 0:46:54So clearing the pipe should bring the beavers out...
0:46:54 > 0:46:57assuming Jeff can unblock it in the first place.
0:46:57 > 0:47:01- HE STRAINS - This is the one. This is the hulk!
0:47:07 > 0:47:08Phew!
0:47:09 > 0:47:14With the water flowing again, Jeff heads off to take position.
0:47:17 > 0:47:19Oh!
0:47:19 > 0:47:20SNUFFLING
0:47:21 > 0:47:22Can you hear that?
0:47:30 > 0:47:36So, we have the makings of a lodge right here. There's not much to it.
0:47:37 > 0:47:42It might not look much, but at least one beaver is calling this home.
0:47:42 > 0:47:43Right there.
0:47:45 > 0:47:47See the beaver chewing that stick?
0:47:51 > 0:47:53They've excavated under this bush,
0:47:53 > 0:47:56and that's the extent of their lodge.
0:47:56 > 0:47:59They have a lot of work here yet to do
0:47:59 > 0:48:02to make this a fortress.
0:48:02 > 0:48:04Oh! Wow, there you go.
0:48:06 > 0:48:09As the beaver slips off downstream, Jeff follows it.
0:48:12 > 0:48:14He's headed down towards the culvert.
0:48:17 > 0:48:20Oh, very nice, very nice.
0:48:20 > 0:48:21Sure enough,
0:48:21 > 0:48:25the beaver is checking out the sudden disappearance of its dam.
0:48:29 > 0:48:30But is there just the one?
0:48:36 > 0:48:39HE IMITATES BEAVER CHEWING
0:48:39 > 0:48:43I've read somewhere that if you want to attract a beaver,
0:48:43 > 0:48:46try making the sound of the beaver chewing.
0:48:47 > 0:48:49Right over!
0:48:49 > 0:48:53'Boy, I've been trying that, and it really seems to work!'
0:48:54 > 0:48:58These beavers seem to swim towards me and come and investigate,
0:48:58 > 0:49:01check me out, see what I'm all about.
0:49:02 > 0:49:06Neither the unblocked pipe nor Jeff's beaver-whispering antics
0:49:06 > 0:49:08reveal a second beaver.
0:49:09 > 0:49:12It looks as though there's just one to deal with.
0:49:18 > 0:49:21That should make Drew's task simple.
0:49:23 > 0:49:27But setting the traps is proving a problem.
0:49:27 > 0:49:29God, it just keeps getting deeper and deeper!
0:49:32 > 0:49:35If the trap slips into deeper water,
0:49:35 > 0:49:38then any trapped beaver could potentially drown.
0:49:39 > 0:49:43But the reality is Drew needs to catch this beaver.
0:49:43 > 0:49:46Leaving it here would be tantamount to killing it anyway.
0:49:47 > 0:49:49Finally!
0:49:49 > 0:49:52Shallow enough, and there's a lot of good activity.
0:49:59 > 0:50:01The trap is hot.
0:50:07 > 0:50:10And the trap's hot.
0:50:10 > 0:50:11Right, right, right there.
0:50:11 > 0:50:13Drew's plan is working.
0:50:13 > 0:50:14Right there!
0:50:17 > 0:50:19But there's a problem.
0:50:27 > 0:50:29A second beaver has appeared.
0:51:12 > 0:51:15Just couldn't resist, could you?
0:51:15 > 0:51:17That was pretty cool! HE LAUGHS
0:51:20 > 0:51:23If a Mountie always gets his man,
0:51:23 > 0:51:25then Drew is determined to get his beaver.
0:51:31 > 0:51:34Let's see if we have the same kind of luck.
0:51:38 > 0:51:41Not only will the first beaver's chances of survival
0:51:41 > 0:51:43be improved by catching its mate,
0:51:43 > 0:51:46but the second beaver will struggle to survive the winter
0:51:46 > 0:51:47if left in the ditch.
0:51:56 > 0:51:58But despite several nights' trapping...
0:51:58 > 0:52:00Nothing there.
0:52:00 > 0:52:01..it's a bust.
0:52:02 > 0:52:04No way!
0:52:05 > 0:52:06Damn.
0:52:06 > 0:52:08The beaver has got away.
0:52:08 > 0:52:09Nothing.
0:52:12 > 0:52:15And with the first signs of winter already evident...
0:52:17 > 0:52:21..Drew wastes no time in releasing the first beaver.
0:52:27 > 0:52:29This late in the year, the beaver will need
0:52:29 > 0:52:31every day it has in its new home
0:52:31 > 0:52:33to find sufficient supplies for the winter.
0:52:43 > 0:52:46Beavers spend much of the autumn building their food cache.
0:52:55 > 0:52:57It's their most important job before winter,
0:52:57 > 0:53:00and the whole family has to pull their weight.
0:53:19 > 0:53:22These branches will be woven together to make a raft,
0:53:22 > 0:53:25with the choicest items wedged underneath
0:53:25 > 0:53:27for maximum accessibility.
0:53:31 > 0:53:35The cold pond water will effectively act like a refrigerator,
0:53:35 > 0:53:38ensuring the food remains edible throughout the winter.
0:53:45 > 0:53:49Something is taking down willow on the edge of town.
0:53:56 > 0:53:57But with the first snows,
0:53:57 > 0:54:01it's now too late for Drew to relocate any problem beavers.
0:54:05 > 0:54:08However, he still has enough on his plate.
0:54:11 > 0:54:15He's put aside his sheriff's badge to play meals on wheels
0:54:15 > 0:54:17for a pair of recently relocated beavers
0:54:17 > 0:54:20that have yet to start on a food cache.
0:54:21 > 0:54:25Well, winter's come, and the best thing we can do for those beavers
0:54:25 > 0:54:30is to kinda help them out and give them materials myself.
0:54:30 > 0:54:33The grocery store came to them, kind of thing.
0:54:37 > 0:54:42It's estimated that beavers need up to four pounds of bark per day,
0:54:42 > 0:54:45so these caches have to be pretty significant.
0:54:47 > 0:54:48It might not be much,
0:54:48 > 0:54:52but every branch increases the beavers' chances.
0:54:52 > 0:54:53Being able to stay
0:54:53 > 0:54:57either in their lodge or under the ice all winter long,
0:54:57 > 0:55:01they're not risking getting out on the shoreline
0:55:01 > 0:55:02and into the snow and stuff,
0:55:02 > 0:55:06and, you know, potentially a predator coming along and whacking them.
0:55:19 > 0:55:21It's a 1½ hour drive
0:55:21 > 0:55:25to the spot where the relocated beavers have set up home.
0:55:42 > 0:55:46And he still has a 15-minute hike to reach their lodge.
0:55:48 > 0:55:50The things I do for these beavers!
0:56:03 > 0:56:07It looks like the two beavers I put in have already gone to work
0:56:07 > 0:56:09and have started a food cache.
0:56:09 > 0:56:13And no harm, no foul, I can just supplement that for them
0:56:13 > 0:56:16and, you know, give them a little bit better head start.
0:56:21 > 0:56:23There you go. Feeding beavers!
0:56:26 > 0:56:29It's not a moment too soon.
0:56:36 > 0:56:39The big freeze has started.
0:56:42 > 0:56:45In town, residents are hunkering down for the winter.
0:56:47 > 0:56:49And so are the beavers.
0:56:52 > 0:56:56They don't hibernate, but, encased in a world of snow and ice,
0:56:56 > 0:57:00the beavers will spend most of the next six months
0:57:00 > 0:57:02snuggled up inside their lodges.
0:57:06 > 0:57:10Despite outside temperatures dropping to 40 degrees below,
0:57:10 > 0:57:13inside the lodge it will hover just above freezing...
0:57:16 > 0:57:20..ensuring the beavers can always slip out for a snack.
0:57:37 > 0:57:40Drew is also shutting down operations.
0:57:44 > 0:57:49With his equipment safely packed away, he can finally relax...
0:57:58 > 0:58:00..until next spring...
0:58:05 > 0:58:08..when the beavers will be back.