Vandals and engineers

 

Happy International Beaver Day! These destructive little monsters will cut down every tree, but in so doing will create acres of valuable habitat to support wildlife — if you're not in the flood zone. Industrious and persistent, beavers make impossibly large dams, larders and lodges by adding to each a little at a time. They are amazing.

A big male beaver paddles over to give me a sniff with that huge Muppet schnozz. 

The resident male beaver lets me follow him on his nightly rounds. He checked on his dams during his first patrol of the evening. The previous night, he gave the water a cannonball slap with his tail to show his annoyance with me, but on this night he didn't mind my company.

 

Beavers are truly aquatic mammals. They have evolved for life in the water with their nose, ears and eyes situated at the tops of their heads so they can remain safely submerged.

Their colossal lodges are a wonder to behold. Strong enough to withstand curious grizzly bears, these lodges get a little bigger every year and often have multiple underwater entrances.

A beaver scampers over its dam to the safety of its pond. Beavers are attuned to the sound of running water, which triggers a quick repair response. They build up the dams after heavy rains to trap water that can last them during the hottest, driest parts of the summer. Lots of other animals benefit from this hard work.

A beaver's tail is a multipurpose tool. It helps propel them in the water at lightning speed when necessary or deliver a frightening cannonball slap on the surface to scare off predators or nosy photographers.

A beaver nibbles fresh greens from the safety of his pond. Male beavers are noticeably bigger than females at a whopping 40 to 70 pounds.

Beavers show hospitality to other animals. Kingfishers fish in their ponds. Minks hunt for frogs along the pond edges. Deer cool off in the water. I've seen muskrats like this one sharing active lodges with their larger cousins. They must like the company.