Tag Archives: pond ecology

Beaver Belly Rubbing!

Why is this adorable Beaver rubbing his belly?

The Beaver is waterproofing its fur! At the base of the tail are both a pair of inverted castor sacs and a pair of anal glands. The Beaver uses its front feet to get oil from the anal glands and then rubs it all over his body. Beavers are constantly grooming and oiling their fur not only to waterproof, but also to remove debris. The sticky yellowish substance from the castor sacs is used for an entirely different purpose, to mark their territory and to identify each other.

Fat Little Beaver Breakfast Roll-ups

Overjoyed to happen upon this one enjoying his breakfast of lily pad roll-ups! Or perhaps the technique is more enchilada-like. Either way, we were impressed by the speed and efficiency in how he ate the pads.

GOOD MORNING! BROUGHT TO YOU BY FAT AND FURRY CAPE ANN RIVER OTTERS

Soulful eyes of River Otters.

What a treat to come upon this North American River Otter family foraging along the pond’s edge. They are quite shy and mine was a brief encounter, but I hope to meet up with them again soon.

River Otters are returning to Massachusetts for several reasons, including better wetland conservation, pollution control, and the fact that the remarkable comeback of North American Beavers has also helped NA River Otters. For the few short moments that I saw the otters, the youngsters were playing with each other, while also intently feeding on frogs and tadpoles.

River Otter Eating a Tadpole 

Folow this link for excellent information on River Otters in Massachusetts.