Palouse River, WA
While it may look like nothing more than a jumble of sticks to the untrained eye, a sighting of this type was important information for the Corps of Discovery. Castor Canadensis, the North American beaver, is the architect of this bank-side den. The beaver is the largest rodent found on the continent, reaching up to 60 pounds and over 3 feet in length including the distinctive flattened, paddle-shaped tail. They wear a coat of rich brown fur that was highly prized at the time Lewis and Clark made their epic journey and they are also edible. In fact, many a reader of the “Joy of Cooking” may have noticed the recipes for beaver tail in between the almond chicken and beef stew.
One of the goals of the Expedition was to determine whether it would be possible to divert some of the lucrative trade in beaver pelts with the Indians away from British companies, so the captains carefully noted lodges such as the one above as well as other signs of the abundance and distribution of beaver along their route. They looked for dams, cut or chewed trees and the availability of the beavers’ favorite food trees including willow, aspen, poplar, birch, maple and alder.
The members of the Corps frequently shot or trapped these nocturnal animals for food, particularly on their journey west. On May 19th, 1805 Lewis wrote that “one of the party wounded a beaver, and my dog as usual swam in to catch it; the beaver bit him through the hind leg and cut the artery; it was with great difficulty that I could stop the blood; I fear it will yet prove fatal to him.” Lewis’ black Newfoundland dog, Seaman, pulled through in the end. The once extensive population of these industrious creatures, however, was nearly exterminated by the fur trade. They were so reduced in numbers throughout their former range by 1838 that buffalo robes had begun to take their place as trade items. Today, they are being widely reintroduced and we were happy to see evidence of their renewed success as we cruised in our Zodiacs on the Palouse.
While it may look like nothing more than a jumble of sticks to the untrained eye, a sighting of this type was important information for the Corps of Discovery. Castor Canadensis, the North American beaver, is the architect of this bank-side den. The beaver is the largest rodent found on the continent, reaching up to 60 pounds and over 3 feet in length including the distinctive flattened, paddle-shaped tail. They wear a coat of rich brown fur that was highly prized at the time Lewis and Clark made their epic journey and they are also edible. In fact, many a reader of the “Joy of Cooking” may have noticed the recipes for beaver tail in between the almond chicken and beef stew.
One of the goals of the Expedition was to determine whether it would be possible to divert some of the lucrative trade in beaver pelts with the Indians away from British companies, so the captains carefully noted lodges such as the one above as well as other signs of the abundance and distribution of beaver along their route. They looked for dams, cut or chewed trees and the availability of the beavers’ favorite food trees including willow, aspen, poplar, birch, maple and alder.
The members of the Corps frequently shot or trapped these nocturnal animals for food, particularly on their journey west. On May 19th, 1805 Lewis wrote that “one of the party wounded a beaver, and my dog as usual swam in to catch it; the beaver bit him through the hind leg and cut the artery; it was with great difficulty that I could stop the blood; I fear it will yet prove fatal to him.” Lewis’ black Newfoundland dog, Seaman, pulled through in the end. The once extensive population of these industrious creatures, however, was nearly exterminated by the fur trade. They were so reduced in numbers throughout their former range by 1838 that buffalo robes had begun to take their place as trade items. Today, they are being widely reintroduced and we were happy to see evidence of their renewed success as we cruised in our Zodiacs on the Palouse.
