Springtime for Beavers

Many younger beavers look for new digs when spring comes. (Courtesy Liz Bulkley)

At last! Today’s the first official day of spring. And while it may not look like it everywhere, the signs are there. Certainly things are beginning to move. Water is flowing, migratory birds are arriving, and the sun is climbing higher in the sky. And for many animals, mating season is well underway. So please be extra careful when driving at dawn and dusk as many creatures are out looking for love — everything from amphibians to wild canines to rodents of all kinds.

The next few weeks are also when the offspring of some species are out on their own for the very first time. For example, many young beavers are now out looking for their own places. And consequently, this is the time of year when they most often get hit by cars.

You see, mother beavers will soon be giving birth, so things are going to get crowded in the old lodge. That’s because in addition to the new set of babies, you have last year’s young, and the soon-to-be-kicked-out two-year olds as well.

This family dynamic makes a lot of sense. In addition to learning how to raise offspring, young beavers get hands-on training from their parents in building lodges and dams, and in gathering food. From what I can see, it’s not always easy taking down a tree with your teeth.

But then every year around this time, the two-year apprenticeship is over and it’s time to make room for the next generation. It’s a dangerous journey for these rodents as they roam about looking for their own territory while avoiding predators and cars.