What happens when you spy on a beaver?
“Well, there were signs that beaver were nearby, the lodge and bite marks on the trees,” said one girl.
Taku Lake’s shore is punctuated by tree stumps gnawed to a chisel by some very busy beavers as they stockpile trees just under the water’s surface for the winter.
“We saw water moving around the lodge, so we knew there could be beavers there,” said another student. In addition to these astute observations of beaver habitat, most students reported having seen a beaver before, so they already had an image in their minds of what the camera might reveal.
They attached the camera to a likely tree in a promising spot. Students returned a few days later to find the camera missing – as well as the entire tree. During the night, a beaver had gnawed down the tree and dragged it into the lake. Yes, the beaver absconded with the tree with the camera attached. Luckily the camera was waterproof and was secured to the tree with a yellow bungee cord. The teachers were able to retrieve the camera and the images taken during the night.
Ha ha ha. That beaver chewed down your spy tree! I bet the kids loved it! The charming article talks about how it also photographed a fox sniffing the lodge and taught the kids about predators, prey and habitat. The cameras are provided by fish and game and can be checked out by classrooms for 2 week periods. Then the photos can be analyzed by your team of 1st graders. Isn’t that neat? Hat tip to Rusty from Napa for sending this article my way.
Which reminds me that beaver believers posted this photo last night to say their tshirts are ready.
I don’t think I’ve seen a more adorable photo. I learned this weekend that the semester in the west students actually silk screened them themselves! Phil brought one for me and it will be a perfect addition to my rapidly expanding beaver wardrobe. Mine says aptly “Leave it to me.”
And finally here’s a headline you don’t see nearly often enough!
Police search for beaver dam buster 
Police are on the hunt for a vandal who destroyed a beaver dam last month near the Pontiac Golf Club north of Gatineau.
MRC des Collines-de-l’Outaouais said the man also damaged a sign on Aug. 13 at Ricard Lake and stole a surveillance camera. Police, however, said they were still able to obtain photographs of the suspect.
That’s right, like most criminals he got cocky – making that one fatal error that will lead to his eventual capture. If he had just destroyed the dam no one in their right mind would care (except us). Since he stole the surveillance camera to do it the police are looking for him.
I’m reminded of a tale from a famous psychologist who interviewed criminals for forensic cases. He was talking to a successful bank robber who would have gotten away with millions but the highway patrol picked him up on the freeway. He was driving north to Canada.
Incredulously, the psychologist asked him, “You robbed that bank in LA. You could have been in mexico in half an hour. Why were you trying to escape to Canada?”
He replied, “Well, doc. I don’t speak spanish.“
