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The Deep Weirdness of Beavers

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Re: The Deep Weirdness of Beavers

#11

Post by kennend3 »

SuoDuanDao wrote: post #9
kennend3 wrote: post #8

Living in the land of the Beaver (Canada - we have a Beaver on our 5 cent coin even) they are weird animals. I live near a nature trail with a river and you can find the results of there "work" everywhere - cut down trees and dams. Not many animals invest so much effort cutting down very large trees and creating dams. Lived here for 22 years, see their dams, and a LOT of "spikes" in the ground where small trees once…

Fellow Canadian here - I only ever saw one quite far from beaver activity, apparently a young male striking out on his own. Otherwise I gather they hide in their dens when humans are about. I'm reminded of those Canadian Humorists the Arrogant worms' excellent prose: "you might think a rodent/ is a pretty lame choice/ for a national animal, but/ don't you listen to that voice Cuz all them birds and predators/ Just ta…

Thankfully I had young kids and live near the Toronto zoo.. so i did get to see them ;)

Re: The Deep Weirdness of Beavers

#12

Post by csours »

I live next to some urban Beavers. I really wonder about their genetics. Like do some of them leave to find another family to join? How do they do that in the city? Or are they genetically stable? Or is this family going to die out after a while? I've seen them swimming at sunset a few times. I think I saw one out of the water once, but I wasn't sure what I was looking at.

Re: The Deep Weirdness of Beavers

#13

Post by dreen »

SuoDuanDao wrote: post #9
kennend3 wrote: post #8

Living in the land of the Beaver (Canada - we have a Beaver on our 5 cent coin even) they are weird animals. I live near a nature trail with a river and you can find the results of there "work" everywhere - cut down trees and dams. Not many animals invest so much effort cutting down very large trees and creating dams. Lived here for 22 years, see their dams, and a LOT of "spikes" in the ground where small trees once…

Fellow Canadian here - I only ever saw one quite far from beaver activity, apparently a young male striking out on his own. Otherwise I gather they hide in their dens when humans are about. I'm reminded of those Canadian Humorists the Arrogant worms' excellent prose: "you might think a rodent/ is a pretty lame choice/ for a national animal, but/ don't you listen to that voice Cuz all them birds and predators/ Just ta…

Do be careful around beavers though. Their teeth are REALLY strong, I know at least one example personally of a human killed by a beaver, it bit through a critical vein in his leg and the guy bled to death. To be fair the guy was a hunter so I guess karma.

Re: The Deep Weirdness of Beavers

#14

Post by wellthisisgreat »

csours wrote: post #12

I live next to some urban Beavers. I really wonder about their genetics. Like do some of them leave to find another family to join? How do they do that in the city? Or are they genetically stable? Or is this family going to die out after a while? I've seen them swimming at sunset a few times. I think I saw one out of the water once, but I wasn't sure what I was looking at.

wow I had no idea urban beavers exist. I thought they are quite fragile creatures who require clean water and prefer relative peace and quiet.

Re: The Deep Weirdness of Beavers

#15

Post by [deleted] »

csours wrote: post #12

I live next to some urban Beavers. I really wonder about their genetics. Like do some of them leave to find another family to join? How do they do that in the city? Or are they genetically stable? Or is this family going to die out after a while? I've seen them swimming at sunset a few times. I think I saw one out of the water once, but I wasn't sure what I was looking at.

[deleted]

Re: The Deep Weirdness of Beavers

#16

Post by jvm___ »

wellthisisgreat wrote: post #14
csours wrote: post #12

I live next to some urban Beavers. I really wonder about their genetics. Like do some of them leave to find another family to join? How do they do that in the city? Or are they genetically stable? Or is this family going to die out after a while? I've seen them swimming at sunset a few times. I think I saw one out of the water once, but I wasn't sure what I was looking at.

wow I had no idea urban beavers exist. I thought they are quite fragile creatures who require clean water and prefer relative peace and quiet.

The semi-urban ones in the park near me took out the 5ft diameter willow trees by chewing a circle around the outside. There's a duck pond with just a few willow trees around it, so the change will be pretty drastic.

Re: The Deep Weirdness of Beavers

#17

Post by 13of40 »

wellthisisgreat wrote: post #14
csours wrote: post #12

I live next to some urban Beavers. I really wonder about their genetics. Like do some of them leave to find another family to join? How do they do that in the city? Or are they genetically stable? Or is this family going to die out after a while? I've seen them swimming at sunset a few times. I think I saw one out of the water once, but I wasn't sure what I was looking at.

wow I had no idea urban beavers exist. I thought they are quite fragile creatures who require clean water and prefer relative peace and quiet.

There are a ton of them in the suburbs east of Seattle. They're hard to spot in person most of the time, but you can see all the trees they've mauled, and sometimes they get hit by cars.

Re: The Deep Weirdness of Beavers

#18

Post by lazide »

kennend3 wrote: post #8

Living in the land of the Beaver (Canada - we have a Beaver on our 5 cent coin even) they are weird animals. I live near a nature trail with a river and you can find the results of there "work" everywhere - cut down trees and dams. Not many animals invest so much effort cutting down very large trees and creating dams. Lived here for 22 years, see their dams, and a LOT of "spikes" in the ground where small trees once…

They tend to stay away from humans, but can be very aggressive if they feel someone is on their turf. And have crazy big teeth that can take out a human no issues if they want.

Apparently they absolutely hate the sound and feel of running water, which is the behavioral cue that apparently causes all that dam behavior. [https://wildlifehelp.org/solution/new-york/beaver/how-preven...]

There is a good more-calming-than-it-has-a-right-to-be culvert clearing guy (post10) that can be entertaining. He’s run across beavers a few times, and is always clearing out culverts and drains they clog [https://youtu.be/ojQlk1yGHSw]

Re: The Deep Weirdness of Beavers

#19

Post by mikestew »

13of40 wrote: post #17
wellthisisgreat wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

wow I had no idea urban beavers exist. I thought they are quite fragile creatures who require clean water and prefer relative peace and quiet.

There are a ton of them in the suburbs east of Seattle. They're hard to spot in person most of the time, but you can see all the trees they've mauled, and sometimes they get hit by cars.

Anyone going along the Sammamish River Trail through Redmond will see their handiwork. There was even a dead one along the bank a while back[0], and it was a lot bigger than I expected having never seen one up close. More "small/medium-sized dog" than "cute little furry thing". I wouldn't get close to a live one.

[0] For the locals, on the gravelled west side of the trail north of Leary Way. It wasn't hit by a car (nowhere near the road), and I don't know what would be big enough to kill one that wouldn't take at least a few bites. Long gone now.

Re: The Deep Weirdness of Beavers

#20

Post by s0rce »

Joeri wrote: post #3

To fully appreciate the beaver I can only recommend zefrank1’s tribute: https://youtu.be/s2YXFeraM8I

I was so excited when he reached out asking me for some of the microscopy images I took of beaver teeth during my PhD! Great video.
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