Beaver    Kobras or piiber       Castor fiber

On the banks of inland waters traces of beaver activities are well visible; our largest rodents still have their mating period, and the otherwise wary creatures move around even in daytime. Their gestation period lasts three and a half months.

The winter was mild for beavers, there were no food problems because the small amounts of ice and snow made it possible to move along the bank areas and to renew the food stocks. They are large animals with valuable brown fur; body length even of larger individuals stays at less than a metre and the flat tail covered with scales is less than half a metre; the weight of older animals is around 30 kilos.

Aquatic animals must take care of their fur coat: the forelimbs with which large structures in water are built are amazingly small. Between the toes of the strong hind limbs there is webbing and the split nail of the second toes of the hind legs is used for fur combing. To maintain the water repellent property of the fur, it is treated during the combing with the famous beaver exudate called castoreum. The exudate from the castor sacs has a strong smell and with it as well as exudate from anal glands both males and females mark their territory. The size of the so-called home territory depends on the food base.

Together with the fully grown adult  generally monogamous beavers the young (kits) from last year as well as the year before that spent the winter – a whole clan; as information, there are usually one to four young in a beaver litter. When the oestrus period has ended and the weather is a little more spring-like, the young from two years back must start an independent life – they are simply no longer allowed into the burrow, which may be located in the river bank, or into the beaver castle.  The young animals stay in the territory of the parents to start with, in shelter burrows known to them,  but as spring progresses they are driven off from there too; they must find a suitable habitat for themselves, and preferably also a mate since building a den together is easier. They become sexually mature in their third year, some females already in the second year.

At Alutaguse there is still plenty of snow and ice.

My home

Uncle Beaver on the doorstep of his home having breakfast. I myself dream of a home where you could have tea in the morning on the doorstep, admire the surroundings and watch the beginning of the day. We will see what life brings and if dreams come true. At least the picture made the heart beat faster in that direction. Panorama made up from 8 photos. The longer side is immense!