Ologies with Alie Ward Castorology (BEAVERS) with Rob Rich
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Dec 18, 2024 Discover beavers’ extraordinary teeth, lodges, dams, family life, and secretions with a wildlife tracker devoted to these industrious animals. From their surprising place in folklore and fur-trade history to their effect on wetlands and the challenges of living alongside people, beavers have a knack for reshaping both landscapes and stories.
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Ancient Beavers
- Beavers once had 33 genera, now only two remain (North American and Eurasian).
- Extinct beavers include the bear-sized castoroides and the spiral-tunnel-digging paleocastor.
Scent Mounds
- Beavers are territorial and use scent mounds to mark their territory.
- These mounds combine mud, vegetation, and castoreum, a unique beaver secretion.
Beaver Amnesia
- Many North Americans live near beaver wetlands without realizing it.
- We experience "beaver amnesia," forgetting beavers shaped our water systems.