The Amazing Beaver!

Do you know why the beaver was made the official mammal of New York State in 1975? You will if you keep reading.

What we now know as New York State was settled by Dutch fur traders in the 1600's. The number one favorite fur of these traders was not mink, sable or raccoon. Oh, no! It was beaver. In Europe at that time beaver fur hats were the "coolest" because they were the warmest and the driest. Beavers don't hibernate and they live in and around water all year round so their fur has to be very waterproof and very warm. Hatters (people who made hats) could take beaver fur and make fabulously stylish and useful hats. Everyone wanted one! Beavers were almost extinct in Europe because they had been hunted for their fur. So when Henry Hudson and his crew returned to Holland and showed their bosses at the Dutch East India Company all the beaver pelts they had traded with the Iroquois and Algonquins, everyone was excited about going back to North America for more. Beaver fur was going to make everyone rich!

You can learn a lot about beavers at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beaver

Can you spot the beaver lodge that Lucy and Sophie found this winter at Grafton State Park? Hint: it's across the lake.















How about now? Can you spot Lucy standing on it?














Here is Sophie on the beaver lodge. I'm sure the beavers aren't very happy about having a 50 pound dog standing on the roof of their home, but the beavers are incredible builders and their lodge is a thick, sturdy construction of sticks and mud. It protects them from the coldest winters and German Shorthaired Pointers!















You can find evidence of beavers all over New York State. This summer we saw their work at Thirteenth Lake up in the Adirondacks near Gore Mountain ski area.