Now that the bears are nestled into their dens for the winter, we get to go on nature hikes to look for beavers. First time out and we had success.
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In the past, we have only seen the 'evidence' of beavers. After extinction in the Sierra Nevadas by the early 1900s, Castor canadensis were re-introduced to the Tahoe Basin between 1934 and 1949 in order to prevent stream degradation and to
promote wetland restoration. Descended from no more than nine
individuals from the Snake River in Idaho, these little guys are plentiful and way so cute. |
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Many trees look just like this. I have never seen such prolific beaver activity. Wow. |
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The Beaver Brigade... |
Beavers are more than intriguing animals with flat tails and lustrous
fur. American Indians called the beaver the "sacred center" of the land
because this species creates such rich, watery habitat for other
mammals, fish, turtles, frogs, birds and ducks.
I could have stayed for hours watching these adorable creatures but the sun was setting and we were getting cold. I love how nature abounds and we get to be a part of it all.
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2 comments:
Nice positive overview of the busy, hard-working little guys. They are amazing creatures. In the big picture, they really do help the ecosystem by creating wetlands to slow runoff and filter water. ~ Beaver Brigade : )
I love the beaver pics. We looked for otters in Yellowstone, with no luck. There is just something about cute aquatic mammals...
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