WHAT CALIFORNIA DOES NOT ALLOW

heidi08 Beavers, Beavers and Wetlands, Educational, Who's saving beavers now? June 18, 2021

The Beaver Bash is going very well, last night was Ben Dittbrenner’s debut which will be shareable on video soon, but this is Amanda Keasberry’s presentation beaver relocation – the mysterious stewardship that takes place in every single western state in the US EXCEPT california. SHerry Guzzi wanted me to verify that it’s allowed in Nevada and yes, I heard back from Fish and Game that in some situtations it is.

Of course Washington has been doing the smart thing forever. Cascade Forest is one of the partners approved for the “Pilot Project” which nearly two decades old. I especially love how they use students to assess potential release sites and really thought the eDNA studies they are working on to track how beavers move around afterwords was fascinating!

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BEAVERS BREAKING THROUGH

heidi08 Attitudes towards beavers, Educational October 31, 2020

Our friend Mike Digout of Saskatchewan is getting famous. I thought he might when his ‘beaver-crashing-through-ice” video made it into the daily mail. Now he’s be on the NY Post and ABC. His own Canadian TV is starting to take notice and has a nice profile of him today.

‘I just couldn’t believe it:’ Photographer captures Saskatoon beaver bursting through ice ‘like Superman’

SASKATOON — A Saskatoon-based beaver has become a viral video star after a local photographer and nature enthusiast filmed it bursting through an ice-covered pond last week.

“She just sort of exploded through the ice like Superman and I knew right away it was a really great thing to have caught on camera,” Mike Digout said.

When the weather got colder and the pond froze over, Digout wondered what that would mean for the beavers. He then started noticing that after having a snack, the mama beaver would swim around and strategically choose areas to break the ice.

Hurray for Mike! And hurray for beavers, that are so amazingly robust.

“I just couldn’t believe it. They’re so clever, they understand their habitat so well.”

Digout said he tried for two days to get a shot of her in the act but was unsuccessful. Finally, on the third day, he got lucky.

“I had a hunch where she was going next to break the ice and I could see her body moving under the ice so I hustled. I literally ran to a spot, pressed click on my video camera.”

That’s when he captured the video that’s garnered not only local attention but has also attracted national and international audiences — something that was a huge surprise to Digout.

First, he shared it on his own social media pages last Friday then submitted it to the Weather Network. Since then, it has also been shared on ABC News, the London Daily Mail and the New York Post. The ABC News video alone has gotten over 500,000 views.

Heh heh heh, beavers will make you a star, kid. Just stick with them.

“I thought well, that’s half a million people that are getting to witness this magical spot in Saskatoon and this crazy fun mama beaver that entertains me everyday,” Digout said.

He said he began visiting the pond on the Meewasin Valley trail and taking photos and videos of the beavers at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic as a hobby. Now, his Facebook page has inspired children, families and so many others to come down to the pond to see the beavers for themselves.

Good. Humanize the beaver and endear it to the viewer. That’s what we need more of. People care about what they see, and you are doing an excellent job.

He added that his photos and videos have also helped people who aren’t able to go out and explore nature themselves right now.

The Meewasin Valley Authority and the Ministry of Environment told CTV News that while the moment Digout managed to captured seems extraordinary, it’s fairly routine behaviour for beavers during this time of year as they get settled for the winter, gathering food and materials.

Yup. You should mention also how many of them are normally KILLED in the ice under your watch. Winter is a dangerous time for beavers. Not only are they racing against the elements, they are subject to trapping season and hoping they live to breed another year.

The thing I love best about Mike’s movie star is that now that she’s achiever international FAME it will be much, much harder to issue the order for her death. Fingers crossed. Visibility keeps beavers safe.

Yesterday’s beaver conference was fantastic again, and Ben did a great NM specific presentation about the importance of beavers to the area. Meaghan Conway from Game and Fish had a very good talk about why specifically beavers matter in the region. It’s kind of nice to forget about the election and just think about beavers. The next is Monday and then a final closing with Mary Obrien on Wednesday, All in all it’s been an excellent use of a very difficult set of circumstances.

Oh and here’s a video from the “Beaver Game” designed by our friend Ray Cirino in Ojai California. Isn’t it brilliant?

STUFF YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT BEAVERS

heidi08 Attitudes towards beavers, Educational October 25, 2020

Well so far 20 respondents think a California beaver summit is a good idea. Here’s a look at what interests folks:

More people are interested in stream restoration than I suspected, If you haven’t taken it yet please do add your voice to the mix. It’s pretty good information to know. And just in time because in a happy accident of fate,Thursday one of the top ten podcasts on Apple released fine discussion of our favorite superhero.

I listened to the entire thing yesterday and even though they are nobody’s idea of a biologist it’s surprising accurate. Enjoy!

“THE ORIGINAL CONSERVATIONISTS”

heidi08 Educational, History September 19, 2020

I think it was February when I wrote researchers across the hemisphere asking them to read the last chapter of Enos Mills seminal book into my recording account. I’m sure it was May before I finished nagging everyone and they actually did it. Or maybe it was July.

In beaver World was published in 1913 and remains the most accurate account of observing beavers ever written. Enos really understand the impact beavers have on the ecology around them. He knew why they mattered. Remember that Enos Mills was a great admirer of John Muir and actually came to Martinez to meet him in 1908. Martinez is brimming with beaver stories.

I was so proud of myself for finishing the Enos Mills movie yesterday. I wanted to release it before my birthday. I learned the new imovie to do it which is important because I made all my other movies on the now defunct gold standard imovie on an archane laptop that has been steadily inching towards the end of its life. I am never sure when the day will come that I can never make another presentation. So I figured I’d use the Covid lockdown to hold a gun to my head and force myself to learn the new one which is supposedly more like the old one they killed.

The new one isn’t bad. And I have the best readers any director could ask for. When you listen think about how remarkable it is that this naturalist watching beavers could hit upon every major ‘discovery’ about beavers that has been made in the last 30 years.

This is my favorite chapter of the very best beaver book ever written. I tried to assign every reader the section that related most directly to their work or field of research. I really love how everyone’s voice helps tell the story. Thank you to all who helped and please feel free to share. We need more people to read and appreciate this remarkable book.

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SACRAMENTO AUDUBON LEARNS ABOUT BEAVERS

heidi08 Beaver Behavior, Educational December 5, 2019

Well, well, well The coolest thing about sitting in this prominently placed “Spiders Web” designed for catching beaver news is that the most amazing things come your way. First this announcement from Sacramento Audubon about their upcoming beaver presentation. You’ll never guess who’s sharing the gospel.

Thursday, Jan. 16, 2020
Effie Yeaw Nature Center
Assembly Room, 7PM
Come early to wander the grounds and bird or visit.

Topic: The Return of California’s Golden Beaver

Speakers: Greg and Alex Kerekez

Sacramento natives, Greg and Alexandria Kerekez spent the past 10 years in Silicon Valley helping to conserve threatened habitat and wildlife populations with documentary photography, education, and citizen science techniques. Their work aims to connect people to their environment and conserve California’s amazing ecologic diversity.

This January, they’ll present their experiences documenting The Return of California’s Golden Beaver. Historically, Beavers were almost extinct in California by the Gold Rush era. Today, they are returning to their ancient habitats, but not without controversy. Explore how these water saving critters benefit the environment and what we can do to support their restoration of California’s Ecosystems, and find a common ground.

In 2017, Greg and Alex returned to their hometown, Rancho Cordova, to start Rancho Roots Permaculture Farm. With their farming practices, they hope to provide examples of how to grow food sustainably. Creating bridges amongst neighbors using a combination of trade and market gardening is at the heart of their small business.

Now I know you might be saying to your self huh, who the heck are Greg and Alex Kerekes? Greg worked for years and years with Bill Leikam on the urban wildlife project following the foxes in San Jose. And Alex, well ,maybe this will jot your memory.

Fantastic news. Greg and Alex have started a progressive permacultue farm in the Rancho Cordova, I’m so glad to know they’ll be smart beaver friends in the area. Good luck Greg and Alex! Convincing Sacramento on beavers is a hard sell, but if anyone can do it, you can.

Okay, the other amazing thing, and truly the most amazing thing that I have waited my entire beaver life to see, comes from a new fan of Ben’s book, Kathy Rothman of northern florida. She sought me out on facebook to say she had beavers on her land and when I heard where she lived I just HAD to ask.

Any alligators there?

One of the great mysteries of beaver life is how beavers and alligators cohabit the same ponds and swamps. Think about it. Beavers are no match for the reptile which can swim faster, walk faster and hold their breath longer. I have friends who’s family members were EATEN by an alligator.

All I can think is that if you are an alligator in Florida there are LOTS of things to choose from. And sometimes you just don’t feel like beaver. Maybe its like traffic accidents. Sometimes you just get unlucky.

Or lucky as the case may be.