In the Pacific Northwest, mountain beaver are considered a pest species by many foresters because they are abundant and eat seedlings and young trees. However, in California, they are limited and considered a species of concern. Habitat destruction due to human interaction is a problem. Natural disasters have, in many cases, exacerbated the problem. A recent fire in Point Reyes destroyed about 50 percent of the known habitat of the entire subspecies.
Studies are currently underway to determine the extent of damage to the population.
Mountain beaver are known to be prey of bobcats, fishers, coyotes, great horned owls, skunks, eagles, minks, and other predators. Little is known of other mortality factors such as disease. The sensitivity of mountain beaver to disturbance is also not well known. I want to close this article with a personal experience that helped lead me to this long-standing interest in mountain beaver. Years ago I was participating in studies at Mono Lake.