{"id":8040,"date":"2016-08-09T09:27:25","date_gmt":"2016-08-09T13:27:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/?p=8040"},"modified":"2016-08-09T16:03:56","modified_gmt":"2016-08-09T20:03:56","slug":"take-5-busy-beavers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/take-5-busy-beavers\/","title":{"rendered":"Take 5: Busy Beavers"},"content":{"rendered":"

It’s common knowledge that beavers build dams, but do you know why? It’s so they can survive the\u00a0cold of winter! Beavers build dams to form ponds that are deep enough that they won’t freeze at the bottom. That way, the beavers can store a cache of edible branches on the floor of the pond, which they can access from their cozy lodges by way of\u00a0underwater entrances.<\/p>\n

Beaver dams actually benefit other species (including people), as well. By building dams and flooding woodland swamps, beavers play an important part in the restoration of lost wetlands, providing habitat and food for a wide variety of plants and animals.<\/p>\n

To learn more about beavers (which are easily confused with their cousin the muskrat<\/a>, by the way), beaver dams, and how to deal with various beaver-related issues, check out the Nature & Wildlife page here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

If you’ve got some great wildlife shots of your own, we’d love to see them! Enter the 2016 Picture This: Your Great Outdoors Photo Contest today<\/a>!<\/p>\n

\"Beaver

Beaver \u00a9 Martin Espinola, Photo Contest 2013<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Beaver

Beaver \u00a9 John Kloczkowski, Photo Contest 2014<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Beaver

Beaver \u00a9 Sandra Taylor, Photo Contest 2014<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Beaver

Beaver \u00a9 David Zulch, Photo Contest 2015<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Beaver

Beaver \u00a9 Karen Riggert, Photo Contest 2015<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It’s common knowledge that beavers build dams, but do you know why? It’s so they can survive the\u00a0cold of winter! Beavers build dams to form ponds that are deep enough that they won’t freeze at the bottom. That way, the beavers can store a cache of edible branches on the floor of the pond, which […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":68,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[158],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8040","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-take-5"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p3t87A-25G","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":3650,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/muskrats-and-beavers\/","url_meta":{"origin":8040,"position":0},"title":"How to Tell a Muskrat from a Beaver","author":"Rosemary","date":"June 16, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Even though muskrats and beavers are only distantly related, they can be hard to tell apart. They\u2019re both brown, rotund animals with bare, fleshy tails. They both swim, often paddling at the surface. And those famous dome-shaped lodges that industrious beavers build for their families? Muskrats make lodges, too! Here\u2019s\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Nature Notes"","block_context":{"text":"Nature Notes","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/nature-notes\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Muskrat","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2014\/06\/muskrat_richard_johnson-e1402933828157-300x234.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":16024,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/take-5-eager-beavers\/","url_meta":{"origin":8040,"position":1},"title":"Take 5: Eager Beavers","author":"Ryan D.","date":"July 12, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Aside from humans, beavers are the only mammal that alters their habitat to meet their needs, which they accomplish by damming streams to form ponds. This behavior actually benefits other species (including people) as well. Because of the flooding beavers create, trees often die off and the dead \"snags\" provide\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Take 5"","block_context":{"text":"Take 5","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/take-5\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Beaver \u00a9 Lori Lynes","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2021\/07\/178Lori_Lynes20709-2.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2021\/07\/178Lori_Lynes20709-2.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2021\/07\/178Lori_Lynes20709-2.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2021\/07\/178Lori_Lynes20709-2.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1266,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/many-moons\/","url_meta":{"origin":8040,"position":2},"title":"Many Moons","author":"Mass Audubon","date":"November 21, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Back in August, we delved into the world of astronomy with our Once in a Blue Moon post, which revealed the story behind the common phrase. But a blue moon is just the beginning. Each full moon has a colorful name and back story that we owe to the\u00a0Native Americans,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Get Outdoors"","block_context":{"text":"Get Outdoors","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/get-outdoors\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2012\/11\/ID-10041295.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":7557,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/5-fun-facts-about-wachusett-meadow\/","url_meta":{"origin":8040,"position":3},"title":"5 Fun Facts About Wachusett Meadow","author":"Hillary T.","date":"May 9, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Located in the bucolic Central Massachusetts town of Princeton, Wachusett Meadow is a remarkably peaceful yet diverse wildlife sanctuary. Here, you can explore 12 miles of trails that traverse more than 1,000 acres of woodlands, wetlands, and meadows. But there\u2019s more to Wachusett Meadow than meets the eye. Teacher Naturalist\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Sanctuaries 100"","block_context":{"text":"Sanctuaries 100","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/sanctuaries-100\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2016\/05\/west-trail.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2016\/05\/west-trail.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2016\/05\/west-trail.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":14642,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/take-5-you-musk-be-joking\/","url_meta":{"origin":8040,"position":4},"title":"Take 5: You Musk Be Joking!","author":"Ryan D.","date":"September 7, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"While they do belong to the order Rodentia), muskrats are not, in fact, rats at all (i.e. members of the genus Rattus). Plus, they're actually more closely related to lemmings than they are to their look-a-like cousins, beavers. The latter is a case of what is known as \"convergent evolution\"\u2014two\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Take 5"","block_context":{"text":"Take 5","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/take-5\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Muskrats \u00a9 Sylvia Zarco","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/09\/2851Sylvia_Zarco10205.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/09\/2851Sylvia_Zarco10205.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/09\/2851Sylvia_Zarco10205.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/09\/2851Sylvia_Zarco10205.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6531,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/take-5-broadmoor\/","url_meta":{"origin":8040,"position":5},"title":"Take 5: Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary","author":"Rosemary","date":"November 16, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary in Natick covers 624 acres of woodland, marshland, and more along Indian Brook and the Charles River.\u00a0An accessible boardwalk\u00a0brings visitors of all ages and abilities right into the habitats of aquatic plants and wildlife, with interpretation including seasonal audio tours. Beyond the boardwalk, you will discover\u00a0beaver dams,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Take 5"","block_context":{"text":"Take 5","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/take-5\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2015\/11\/YehudaInbar2013.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2015\/11\/YehudaInbar2013.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2015\/11\/YehudaInbar2013.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8040","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/68"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8040"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8040\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8070,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8040\/revisions\/8070"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8040"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8040"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8040"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}