Comeback Beaver (100 words)
Oct. 30th, 2011 10:24 pmThe North American beaver is making a comeback. Lodges have been spotted in Chicago and New York City; beaver ponds are proliferating in Canada and New England. Once hunted close to extinction, conservation measures are giving the beaver a fighting chance.
The beaver has had to adapt to its changing environment in order to survive. Beaver dams now feature crude paddle-wheel rotors made of bark that turn concealed dynamos; the lodges glow with a flickering electric light.
More troubling are the beaver traps found upcountry. Hikers disappear, only to be found later without their skins; beaver sou'westers are highly waterproof.
The beaver has had to adapt to its changing environment in order to survive. Beaver dams now feature crude paddle-wheel rotors made of bark that turn concealed dynamos; the lodges glow with a flickering electric light.
More troubling are the beaver traps found upcountry. Hikers disappear, only to be found later without their skins; beaver sou'westers are highly waterproof.