Because the beaver isn't just an animal; it's an ecosystem!

Tag: Beavers change lodges


Beavers: Written By Deborah Hodge Illustrated by Pat Stephens

For the last week the arrival of beavers seems to be from downstream rather than upstream. We are used to seeing the kits come out from the upstream lodge and make their way to explore their world and the dam. We even saw a kit lay mud on the primary dam for the very first time this week. Lately though they are reminding us of something Skip Lisle always says “The principal of beaver life is dynamism”.

Beaver change things. Including their habits!

I’ve been frantically looking up references for lodge transitions and see that it is common especially over the summer months for families to go between lodges. Giving a lodge a break can be a good way to lower parasite populations and be close to a different food source. My human sensitivities are irrationally concerned that the family transition TOGETHER as a unit and nobody gets left behind – but they all seem to be keeping track of each other. Dad and the kits showed their most serious engagement ever this week and GQ is in full view with kits seeming to follow him wherever he goes. All the kits still are happy to see eachother and no sibling is ‘less liked’ as far as I can tell.

What will happen? Will the beaver family settle downstream or is this a summer fling similar to the ‘frat house‘ the yearlings experimented with years ago? Are dad and the yearling maintaining separate estates to increase their chances of each attracting a mate? Could the city of Martinez get another famous beaver colony? If so what happens to these kits? Will they become ‘joint custody kits’ shuttled back and forth between lodges? If the family stays together downstream will they still maintain the primary dam or will it become less important real estate? Will Skip’s installation become unnecessary? Or will we end up hiring him again to build three more?

The possibilities are apparently endless. Stay tuned for the next exciting chapter of…”As the colony turns….”

DONATE

TREE PROTECTION

BAY AREA PODCAST

Our story told around the county

Beaver Interactive: Click to view

LASSIE INVENTS BDA

URBAN BEAVERS

LASSIE AND BEAVERS

Ten Years

The Beaver Cheat Sheet

Restoration

RANGER RICK

Ranger rick

The meeting that started it all

Past Reports

November 2024
M T W T F S S
 123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
252627282930  

Story By Year

close

Share the beaver gospel!