Beavers are Canada’s national animal. They are abundant across the country and not to brag or anything, but here in the north our beavers are pretty spectacular. I don’t ever remember seeing such large rodents when I lived in Alberta or British Columbia. Perhaps it is our abundance of pristine lakes and ample food sources, or perhaps they are just a little chubbier in order to survive our loooong winters.
Beavers are industrious and the work they do building dams to block running water create ponds and lakes which can support hundreds of other species. Their dams are so effective at stopping the flow of water that they can cause flooding and damage to urban landscapes. There are solutions such as flow regulators that can be installed near beaver dams which can allow humans and beavers to co-exist more harmoniously.
We have a family of beavers who have set up two lodges in adjoining lakes in downtown Yellowknife. They have been busy blocking off a problematic overflow area of the city however this “natural” solution to the problem has some people concerned. A number of trees have been “removed” by the rodents which is messing with the carefully planned landscaping. Ironically the city just tore out all of the trees along one of the main streets in town and have been removing beautiful giant trees in residential neighbourhoods (without asking or offering to preserve them) as they replace water and sewer lines.
Laughably there was even a tourist who complained of being frightened by a beaver who slapped its tail on the water when she was nearby.
I personally think we need to have a longer perspective about the ways in which beavers can improve the landscape. The last time I was near a beaver lodge in the bush I took a close look at what the land looked like. There was no mass devastation; the beavers had not created a clear cut desert around their lodge. In fact I the opposite to be the case. There were plenty of young deciduous trees growing in the area. The willow brush had been eaten away and cleared the way for wildflowers and natural grasses to grow.
It would be interesting to see just how different the landscape around the area might become if the first thought was “how can we co-exist with these beavers” instead of “let’s trap these suckers and move them outta here”. But at least they are being re-located and not simply shot or snared.
Fun Fact: Beavers can hold their breath for 15 minutes. This can make them difficult to photograph if they are shy 
Have a great week. Feel free to share with all your hard-working friends and I’ll see you next Sunday.