Cowlitz Beaver Kit Cam Live
Our Beaver Kit Cam livestream has come to an end as of 5/28/2026 at 9:30 a.m. PDT as this beaver family begins its next chapter in a new home in the wild. In the years ahead, these remarkable animals will help ecosystems thrive by creating habitats that benefit fish, wildlife, and surrounding waterways.
On behalf of the Cowlitz Indian Tribe, thank you for tuning in. We are honored that this little furry family has brought joy to so many and highlighted the important restoration work being done by the Tribe on our ancestral homeland.
Follow along for more updates on our YouTube and social media channels!
ʔə́y t sʔísilp! (Welcome). The Cowlitz Indian Tribe welcomes you to the Cowlitz Beaver Kit Cam. Beaver (ɬə́qʼƛʼk), which translates to “wide belly”, are a culturally significant animal to the Cowlitz people of southwest Washington State.
North American beavers (Castor canadensis) are iconic ecosystem engineer that can sustain complex freshwater habitats and support high levels of biodiversity. Beaver populations were significantly reduced by commercial fur trapping and eradication efforts during early colonization, and their habitat was severely degraded by subsequent land use practice changes in the late 1800’s. Today, beaver populations in many areas remain below desired levels. As a foundation species, beavers help restore wetlands, improve water quality, increase drought resilience, and create habitat for fish and wildlife. The Cowlitz Indian Tribe’s Natural Resources Department operates a beaver relocation program to help bolster beaver populations and protect critical freshwater habitats. Each year, the program relocates approximately 70 beavers, representing 20 to 30 family groups, from areas of human-wildlife conflict to areas of suitable habitat int he Cascade Mountains where they can restore and protect freshwater habitat for a myriad of species.
Beavers that enter the program are brought by wildlife professionals to the Tribe’s beaver husbandry facility on the Cowlitz reservation and held while additional family members are safely captured—an approach that improves relocation success. As a permitted beaver relocator in partnership with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Beaver Relocation Permit Program, beavers are typically held for 7 to 10 days before relocation. These beavers are wild, and the Tribe’s wildlife program staff have minimal contact with the animals during their stay at our facility. We provide fresh natural food daily, including preferred foods such as willow and cattails, and provide fresh water in swimming basins each day. Once a family group is complete, they are released into pre-identified suitable habitats, followed by post-release monitoring to track relocation success and habitat outcomes.
Beavers typically give birth during the weeks between mid-April and mid-May. A pregnant beaver came into our facility on 4/15/2026 and she gave birth to four healthy beaver kits on 4/16/2026. Wild beaver kits typically stay within the lodge for the first five weeks of life. This allows them to remain safe in the confines of a protected structure, grow and gain weight, and develop water-proofing oils for their fur that allows them to dive underwater to evade potential predators. The Tribe’s program will hold this beaver family until the kits are old enough to be released into the wild.
In the meantime, the Cowlitz Beaver “Kit Cam” lets viewers observe the four baby beavers and their mother in real-time as they grow and learn behaviors essential to survival.