[Paddlewise] Close encounters of the beaver kind

Clark,

I have had several similar experiences in large streams and ponds - following
are my theories (very similar to yours):

Clark Bowlen wrote:

> I was paddling a small flooded tributary of the Connecticut River yesterday
> when a mother and cub beaver plopped into the water on the opposite bank.  I
> stopped and waited.  The cub vanished (into floatsam along the bank I think)
> but mom surfaced 30 feet or so in front of me and just lay in the water,
> perpendicular to my line of travel.

She was checking you out to see if you were leaving quickly or still a potential
problem.

>  I stayed where I was and after a minute or two she turned and swam directly
> toward me, taking up a position 5 or 6 feet off my bow, again broadside.
> After two or three minutes of this, she swam to the center of the creek, did a
> pro-forma tail-slap dive, and disappeared.

Apparently you were still a potential problem.  I had two adults and three small
ones close by one time - the small ones watched from near the bank and mom and
dad (I assume) slapped tails at me and politely checked me out as I sat there
calmly for about 10-15 minutes.  I was very non-aggresive (totally still) and
feel they were more interested in checking me out than scaring me away (my
psychic read of the situation).

> I assume she was trying to decoy me away from the cub and when I didn't
> chase her, she figured I was myopic (I was wearing glasses) and moved in to
> be sure I got a good look. When that produced no reaction, she decided I was
> an herbivore and left.

Maybe we're imparting a bit too much humanity on her motives.

> Of course, that is pure speculation, she might just have been curious, or
> for that matter, maybe it was a responsible dad beaver.  How do you tell?

Forgetting the innuendos, I would also like to know how beaver parents split up
the duties of slapping tail at kayakers?

My favorite, though, was a group of otters on a small, overgrown cyprus pond,
where a whole family gleefully played around my boat for quite a while.

Regards,
Ellis


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