wildlife near you !

Hello Mr Beaver or is it Mrs ?

 My Adventure up at Barns Lake BC
I love to go for walks when I am out camping and I always take my camera with me. It’s a good thing I did this day as I was walking along the mouth of this little lake called Barns. (It’s great lake to fish at by the way!)   I realized that there was a beaver dam and a good size beaver home there so I stopped and just waited until it was dusk. Then out of nowhere I saw some movement in the little pond that the beavers had made. I saw not one but three that day and it was amazing as I have never seen beavers up close in the wild. This was so cool as I watched them chew on willow branches and clean themselves. They didn't seem to be bothered by me standing there at edge of the pond but I know they were keeping a close eye on me.  Soon they went under the water and disappeared. So my question is, are they creatures of the night or the day?  
Until next time    
Enjoy more reading from the attached links
                   Beaver http://www.fishbc.com/adventure/wilderness/animals/beaver.htm
Castor canadensis

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Description - This very large, dark brown rodent has a black, scaly tail which is horizontally flattened and paddle shaped and used as a rudder while swimming , as a sturdy support on land and for balance when the beaver carries heavy tree branches or building materials in its front paws. The back feet are large, webbed and black; the eyes and ears small; incisors are very large and chestnut coloured. Average weight is 45-60 pounds but they have been recorded at up to 110 pounds.
Distribution - The beaver occurs throughout most of Canada and all of British Columbia in rivers, streams, marshes, lakes and ponds.
Biology - The beaver builds its lodge out of intertangled twigs and sticks; as freezing weather nears they plaster the lodge with mud making a concrete layer that no predator can break through. Predators include coyotes, wolves, bears, lynx, and wolverines; mink, hawks and owls will also take some kits.In late April to early July 3-4 kits are born. The beaver is highly adapted to its aquatic life with webbed hindfeet, the rudder-like tail, valves that close off the ears and nostrils, skin flaps that seal off the mouth but leave the incisors free for underwater gnawing and carrying and clear membranes that slide over the eyes protecting them from floating debris. During the early nineteenth century the beaver pelt was the single most valuable commodity; the pelt being used for robes, coats, clothing trims, and top hats. Nowadays the pelt is still highly valued, the flesh and sometimes,the tail are considered tasty but the beaver is now protected from over- trapping.

Tracks - A perfect beaver track is rare as the tail drags and will often cover the print. The hind foot is large, triangular-shaped, webbed and has five toes. The forefoot is much smaller with five toes although all are seldom evident. During the winter the beaver's trail is often mistaken for that of a porcupine or otter because of the trough created by the beaver's trail. A closer examination of the track will generally show a portion of a print.
Straddle: 15 - 20 cm (6 - 8 in)
Stride: 10 - 15 cm (4 - 6 in)
Track: Front - 8 cm (3.2 in) long / 7 cm (2.8 in) wide
Track: Rear - 15 cm (5 in) long / 12 cm (4.8 in) wide

  For kids   :     www.canadiangeographic.ca/kids/animal-facts/beaver.asp

Did you know?

The beaver is Canada’s national symbol, representing our country for over 300 years.

Physiology

Beavers are known for their buck teeth and large, flat tail. These well-known features are what help the beaver live life from day to day. This animal, from the rodent family, has a thick brown fur coat and a soft grey undercoat that protects it from all climates.
The beaver's tail is large and shaped like a paddle. It functions like a boat rudder, helping steer the beaver as it moves logs to its dam. The black scaly tail is also used for balance on land when carrying heavy tree branches.
Beavers are excellent swimmers and are built for underwater work. They have valves in their ears and nose that close when they swim underwater. They also have a clear layer that covers their eyes when swimming, in order to protect them from anything floating in the water.
Their front teeth stick out in front of their lips, so that they may cut and chew wood that is submerged underwater without getting water in their mouth. A beaver's teeth never stop growing and chewing on tree trunks and branches helps to keep the teeth from getting too long. They are strengthened with iron compounds.

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Habitats/Behaviours

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Beavers spend most of their time building dams and lodges — large cone-shaped pile of branches in the middle of a lake. They enter the lodge through an underwater entrance, which leads into a dry living area. As the colder months approach, they spread a think layer of mud on top of the lodge to keep out any predators, such as the lynx and wolf. If a beaver feels threatened, it will slap its tail on the surface of the water to warn other beavers in the area, then it will dive deep underwater to stay safe.
Beavers are vegetarians and feed on non-woody-type plants — such as cattail shoots — during the spring and summer and then switch to eating shrubs and trees in the autumn and winter. They build canals along the ground to float sticks and twigs to their lodges for winter storage. A common belief about beavers is that they eat wood, when in fact it's only the bark they eat.

Range

A large portion of the beaver population can be found in British Columbia and in lakes and streams all over the rest of Canada. It is quite hard to find beaver tracks, because their tail drags behind them on the ground and often covers the print. However, in muddy areas, the print is usually very clear. In the past, beavers were over hunted for their fur and meat, threatening their population. However, their numbers have since risen due to wetland rehabilitation and strict conservation practices.