"BEAVER FIR"

Beaver (North American) - 5 Photos

No, there is no spelling error in the title. The "fir" refers to a conifer (or evergreen) tree not the beaver's coat. 

Conifers are considered emergency food for beavers, i.e. they will eat them when other food sources are scarce. And, of course, although the ice has completely disappeared from the ponds & rivers, Spring's green bounty is yet to arrive. 

There were three or more small evergreen branches semi-floating at the edge of the beaver pond. That shoreline was the first "go to" for at least three beavers. Having nibbled away at the needles, most eventually moved along the edge of the pond to dig out shoots from underneath the grasses and mud, to eat. But during the needle nibbling exercise, there was successive face & nose rubbing. Am not certain if this was due to the sap of the fir being somewhat irritating or whether it was some type of medicinal or therapeutic cleanse.

Perhaps the firs were easy access with a minimal expenditure of calories (except for the swim from the lodge) and provided some energy to pursue the next forage, which was digging through the grasses and mud along the shoreline for succulent shoots literally rooted in the earth. And the beaver digging technique would make a badger proud. :)

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