Christie Hill, CNC Naturalist...
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Mail to: P.O. Box 769769, Roswell, GA 30076 Location: 9135 Willeo Rd., Roswell, GA 30075 www.chattnaturecenter.org • (770) 992-2055 Atlanta’s Nature DESTINATION EVENTS COMING SOON learn more Superheroes - The Beaver Christie Hill, CNC Naturalist Coordinator If you have frequented the Chattahoochee Nature Center at any point in the last two decades you have probably visited our resident beaver. He is a fine example of an American Beaver, the largest rodent in North America, and a very well-cared-for one! Many of you have observed him aging into his 20th year, often napping by the fence, sometimes his face not too far from his food bowl. You might think he is a lazy fellow. Beavers are typically busy, energetic builders who create habitats for many other species, and have several heroic characteristics. The beaver is known as a keystone species because of the benefit he provides to other species. Beavers require a protected place in a river or pond in which to construct a home and will transform entire areas to meet their needs. Their occupation of building dams ensures that their homes (lodges) will be surrounded by water to keep out predators, and, in turn, provides habitat for aquatic organisms, and nesting grounds and food for migrating birds and many others. See this tireless beaver constructing a dam and click on videos. Our resident beaver was imprinted as an infant, which caused him to be non-releasable. Back in 1995 an apartment complex manager decided to rid their canal of some pesky beavers (probably because they were taking down trees and rearranging the area). What the manager did not realize is that beavers live in family units called colonies, and that there were not only parents, but babies, called kits, and older siblings, living in the lodge in their pond. (The younger siblings stay with their parents for up to 2 years, helping with infant care, food collection, and dam building). Two kits were rescued and brought by the trapper to CNC. They needed a mother to nurse them, and at the time we took in lots of different species. Caring for the young beavers was difficult due to round-the-clock care and feeding with bottled formula (the other beaver passed away in June 2005). Today the beaver is a healthy senior, and his diet consists of fruits and vegetables, privet, willow, box elder and a nutritional supplement called Rodent Block. While possibly less active as a captive beaver, you should catch a glimpse of him swimming! Learn more about these superheroes: • Beaver families are territorial. They defend against other families and are often bold in the presence of large predators. Their • defense is to warn family members of danger by slapping their tails against the water, creating a powerful noise. • Beavers can stay under water for up to 15 minutes at a time! • Beaver fur is waterproof! They coat their thick fur with castoreum, an oily secretion from their scent glands. Beavers have a thick layer of fat under the skin to keep them warm underwater. • Beavers have long sharp upper and lower incisor teeth that they use to cut into trees and woody vegetation. With these incredible incisors a beaver can cut down a 6” aspen tree in 20 minutes. See video of American Beaver felling trees. These teeth continue to grow throughout the beaver's life. • Beavers can swim at speeds of up to 5 miles/hr! • A beaver lodge can have several underwater entrances to keep out predators, and has a large dry room inside--temperature controlled for the nursery. Other good spots for information: • Keystone Species • Superhero Beavers doing what they do! • Beaver - Castor canadensis Everyone enjoys learning about animals. Come in to the Nature Exchange and learn about Keystone Superheroes.
Transcript of Christie Hill, CNC Naturalist...
http://chattnaturecenter.org/cnc-calendar/
Mail to: P.O. Box 769769, Roswell, GA 30076 Location: 9135 Willeo Rd., Roswell, GA 30075
www.chattnaturecenter.org • (770) 992-2055
Atlanta’s NatureDESTINATION
EVENTSCOMING SOONlearn more
Superheroes - The BeaverChristie Hill, CNC Naturalist Coordinator
If you have frequented the Chattahoochee Nature Center at any point in the last two decades you have probably visited our resident beaver. He is a �ne example of an American Beaver, the largest rodent in North America, and a very well-cared-for one! Many of you have observed him aging into his 20th year, often napping by the fence, sometimes his face not too far from his food bowl. You might think he is a lazy fellow. Beavers are typically busy, energetic builders who create habitats for many other species, and have several heroic characteristics. The beaver is known as a keystone species because of the bene�t he provides to other species. Beavers require a protected place in a river or pond in which to construct a home and will transform entire areas to meet their needs. Their occupation of building dams ensures that their homes (lodges) will be surrounded by water to keep out
predators, and, in turn, provides habitat for aquatic organisms, and nesting grounds and food for migrating birds and many others. See this tireless beaver constructing a dam and click on videos.
Our resident beaver was imprinted as an infant, which caused him to be non-releasable. Back in 1995 an apartment complex manager decided to rid their canal of some pesky beavers (probably because they were taking down trees and rearranging the area). What the manager did not realize is that beavers live in family units called colonies, and that there were not only parents, but babies, called kits, and older siblings, living in the lodge in their pond. (The younger siblings stay with their parents for up to 2 years, helping with infant care, food collection, and dam building). Two kits were rescued and brought by the trapper to CNC. They needed a mother to nurse them, and at the time we took in lots of di�erent species. Caring for the young beavers was di�cult due to round-the-clock care and feeding with bottled formula (the other beaver passed away in June 2005). Today the beaver is a healthy senior, and his diet consists of fruits and vegetables, privet, willow, box elder and a nutritional supplement called Rodent Block. While possibly less active as a captive beaver, you should catch a glimpse of him swimming!
Learn more about these superheroes: • Beaver families are territorial. They defend against other families and are often bold in the presence of large predators. Their • defense is to warn family members of danger by slapping their tails against the water, creating a powerful noise.
• Beavers can stay under water for up to 15 minutes at a time!
• Beaver fur is waterproof! They coat their thick fur with castoreum, an oily secretion from their scent glands. Beavers have a thick layer of fat under the skin to keep them warm underwater.
• Beavers have long sharp upper and lower incisor teeth that they use to cut into trees and woody vegetation. With these incredible incisors a beaver can cut down a 6” aspen tree in 20 minutes. See video of American Beaver felling trees. These teeth continue to grow throughout the beaver's life.
• Beavers can swim at speeds of up to 5 miles/hr!
• A beaver lodge can have several underwater entrances to keep out predators, and has a large dry room inside--temperature controlled for the nursery.
Other good spots for information:
• Keystone Species • Superhero Beavers doing what they do! • Beaver - Castor canadensis
Everyone enjoys learning about animals. Come in to the Nature Exchange and learn about Keystone Superheroes.
