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Mammal Tracks and Sign
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Beaver
Page 2 of 2
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DAMS AND LODGES |
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As everyone knows, beavers build dams to back up the water in a stream,
and/or to enlarge an existing pond. |
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A beaver lodge. It is built of sticks
and branches, held together with mud. The beavers then chew out
a chamber inside. The entrance is under water.
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Another beaver lodge. This one appears
to incorporate some marshy materials.
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Allan "bow" Beauchamp:
When I'm taking people through the bush I like to find special spots
where they can see how animals really live.
This place here is special to me for some reasons, but the obvious is
this dried up pond, complete with a beaver house.
Here my friends are seeing actually how it is constructed, and how it
actually looks for size, and the openings.
If you are small enough and creative enough, the opening is still
available to go inside and see the working home of a beaver!
-- Bow |
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(photo by Allan "bow" Beauchamp) |
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CHEWS |
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Beavers eat trees. Therefore they leave behind plenty of signs of this
activity in the form of chewed and fallen trees. |
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A tree felled by a beaver.
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If my memory serves me correctly, this
was a Hop Hornbeam ("Ironwood") tree. Very strong teeth!
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An area may have many trees cut down to
satisfy the beaver's appetite.
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Close-up of beaver teeth marks on a
poplar tree.
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Beavers may abandon a tree that they
have almost felled, and not return to it. Perhaps they were
disturbed while chewing it down, and later forgot about it?
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OTHER SIGNS |
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Beavers make what are usually referred
to as "scent mounds."
Here is one.
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Similar species:
- Nutria (habitat & tracks)
- Muskrat (habitat)
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