Beavers in a whole new light

heidi08 Beaver Rehabilitation, Beaver-themed merchandise, Who's blaming beavers now?, Who's Killing Beavers Now? March 21, 2015

Have you been seeing these around? They are advertisements for the new XXX vanilla, promoted as vegan and gluten-free and pointing out that most imitation vanilla’s are made from beaver castoreum, the glands in their nether region. Don’t know if that’s true, but the ads are fun.

I especially liked this one. Look at the feet:

There is more to entertain us today from the LA Times review of the soon-to-be-cult-classic new movie Zombeavers! Sounds like someone let the pun carry him away.

‘Zombeavers,’ about coeds and zombie mutants, is schlocky fun

“Zombeavers” is the mutant love child of horror specialist Troma, early Peter Jackson, Japanese kaiju flicks and Canadian television sketch comedies — a film that disgusts, terrifies and tickles in equal measure with grotesque creatures and a sickening sense of humor.

Three self-centered sorority sisters check in to a remote lodge for some girl time after Jenn (Lexi Atkins) discovers a photo of Sam (Hutch Dano) cavorting with another woman. After spending the afternoon disrobing, rubbing sunscreen on one another and checking out a beaver dam, they return to find that their boyfriends are paying a surprise visit. But the dudes aren’t the only uninvited guests for the weekend.

A barrel of biohazard material from a medical research facility falls off a truck, rolls down the stream and spills the toxin within. To the surprise of no one, it turns beavers into zombies that will chomp on anything in sight.

Hmm…I think I might skip this one….and honestly, do you really expect me to believe that beavers after a spill are terrifying? These one were adorable! Remember the heroes of Willard’s Bay?

And they said it couldn’t be done…

heidi08 Beavers March 20, 2015

City of Tyler makes plans for Lindsey Park beavers

Screen shot 2015-03-20 at 6.48.43 AM — Click to Play

The fate of a family of beavers is more certain, but it looks like they’ll have to find a new home. The City of Tyler has come up with a plan to take care of the beavers and the problem.

The beavers are causing problems at Lindsey Park where beaver dams are causing water to back up onto trails making it difficult or impossible for hikers and bicyclists to use. The City of Tyler is consulting with a local biologist. There are two beaver families living at the park. The original mother and father are in one lake and the son and his wife in another.

The plan is to drain the lake where the second family lives using a pipe system. The original family will stay, while their children will be forced to find a new home. The biologist said this is safe for both beaver families because they tend to like their offspring to move far away, anyway.

The city will pay for the project with general maintenance fees and it should cost about $1,500.

Wow! Flow device in Texas? I try not to be a beaver snob. I try not to glance at a beaver story where someone wants to save beavers in Georgia or Arkansas and say, too bad, that will never happen. But I honestly thought that the state of Texas was more likely to enact a vegan holiday than they were to save beavers. Good work Lindsey Park!

Mind you, I’m not sure how they decided that a second family of offspring live in the second lodge, because we’ve had two lodges with one family. But never mind. If they install a flow device they can satisfy the mean-spirited by thinking they chased out one family, solve the problem and STILL save the beavers.

Mark this day on your calendar. It’s important.

Beaver Fishery Enhancement

heidi08 Beavers and salmon, Beavers and trout, Beavers and water, Beavers elsewhere, Creative Solutions, Who's saving beavers now? March 19, 2015

Nature at work for you – Beavers help fish, wildlife and people

Beavers are industrious engineers, constructing dams and lodges for shelter and food storage. Beavers actively modify streams and surrounding woodlands, improving the health of a watershed by creating lush ponds or wetland habitat for a variety of fish and wildlife. By damming water, beavers create a refuge for juvenile and overwintering fish. These ponds provide homes to aquatic invertebrates (fish food), amphibians, reptiles, waterfowl, songbirds, and mammals.

Benefits of Beavers in a Dry Climate

• By building dams, beavers are able to slow spring runoff, reducing the potential for flooding and erosion.

• Beaver dams spread water onto the floodplain and reconnect side channels allowing for greater water storage.

• Beaver ponds provide a continuous water supply that percolates into the ground, recharging aquifers.

• Beaver ponds trap sediment and filter out toxic materials providing cool, clean water for downstream water users.

A pretty wonderful beaver benefit broadcast from the Mid-Columbia Fisheries Enhancement Group. It even ends with a discussion of beaver conflicts and where to go for resolutions. The Mid-Columbia is centered in the middle of Washington State (beaver mecca, from which all wisdom flows) and has good team members like project manager Melissa Babik who heads the heaver relocation project for Yakima that we read about everywhere last fall. I tend to think a river group does serious restoration when they are divided into head, mid and lower. But check out this map for Regional Fisheries Enhancement Groups in Washington. Created by the voters in 1980 it is no wonder why Washington is so good at managing streams and advocating for beavers.

One thing they don’t have is links to us, Beaver Solutions, The Land Trust, the Grand Canyon trust or Joe Wheaton in Utah, Beavers: Wetlands and Wildlife, or Skip Lisle, to name a few. Don’t you think they should? I’ll see what I can do.

And some good cheer from Tundra sent yesterday by Rickipedia and Art Wolinsky….

The start of something good

heidi08 Beavers, Beavers and Birds, City Reports, Who's saving beavers now? March 18, 2015

Long Term Solution Sought For Beaver Problem

The selectboard met Tuesday night and addressed several matters, and the primary two concern the North Prescott Road area. First, the long running issue of beavers making dams near the roadway was addressed. Susan Cloutier and Dave Wattles of the conservation commission said that beavers have been doing so for years on the wetlands just off the road, and that this is causing recurring flooding.

Recently, the animals have built up two piles of dam material across the street, basically turning it into a one-lane road. There have been similar issues throughout the years, and it has proved hazardous to motorists on several occasions. The Department of Environmental Protection has been notified of the issue, and as simply ripping out dams is illegal, trapping has commenced in the area, with four of the creatures being re-located last week.

According to Wattles, trapping is at best a short-term solution, as beavers are very resourceful and the area in question connects to Quabbin wetlands, making it highly likely that they will return. ” A more permanent solution is needed,” he said.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA — Pond Leveler before lowering into the water- Mike Callahan Beaver Solutions

One such solution was then addressed, which is the possible installation of a “Beaver Deceiver,” a flow device that regulates the water levels of beaver dams. Wattles has been in touch with a company called Beaver Solutions out of Southampton and was quoted the price of $1,500 for a unit at the Prescott site. The price could actually be lower, closer to $1,000, should the town provide pipes and some labor.

Happy beaver news from a state that often misunderstands beavers. We are thrilled that Prescott is already in touch with Mike, and can’t wait to see the problem solved for the long term. To the untrained eye, one would assume that the state that outlaws conibear traps would understand beavers better than most. But we here www.martinezbeavers.org/wordpress know better. The bay state seems to spend half its time bemoaning the unjust will of the voters, and the other half trying to overturn it. Obviously these smart members of the conservation commission know what the word conservation actually means.

You may have realized this weekend that it’s spring (before spring) and that means it’s time for animal webcams around the world – or as I’ve chosen to call them “Nature Porn”. Yesterday I stumbled upon a camera from Van Nuys CA tracking a beautiful allen’s hummird and her rapidly growing chicks. They are 13 days old today, the awkward teens of hummingbird life. The nest is smaller than a tennis ball and made from plant fibers, moss and spider silk, (Which allows it to stretch as they grow). She comes and feeds them every half hour or so, but if you’re lucky you won’t see anything at all and think it’s boring so you’ll never watch again. Otherwise you might find yourself cursed with a new hobby. I saw big eyes watching the world for the first time this morning.

Beavers on the radio

heidi08 Beavers and salmon, Beavers and trout March 17, 2015

The interview we were waiting for about beavers and salmon is finally available. And it’s a great one. If the nuts and bolts about how beavers restore salmon habitat are a little fuzzy in your brain, this fantastic interview with Will Harling will straighten them out. Listen to the whole thing, because after you do you’ll be a much better beaver advocate.

Beavers Provide Free Labor To Build Salmon Habitat

Isn’t that JUST what the doctor ordered? Will’s monumental work on streams in the Klamath uncovered the paleo beaver dam that archeologist Chuck James carbon tested back in the day for our first historic prevalence paper. So I’m very thrilled to hear him. I sent congratulatory praise his way and he wrote back that he was sorry he forgot to mention the great work we’re doing (!).

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Lookng at our website stats this morning I see we had a huge spike on the 10th and 300 visits from reddit. Not sure what that means, but Jean mentioned last night that she was amazed to see the video I posted of our kits in a push match. She doesn’t think she ever saw it before. So I’ll try and share another golden oldie and see if that makes a ripple. Enjoy.