Beaver Fossil Sheds Light on Mammal Evolution

A beaver fossil found in western Montana is the oldest such specimen ever discovered. Find out how this 30-million-year-old missing link is helping to explain the astonishing diversity in mammal species on our planet.

Like all Canadians, I think of the beaver as an important symbol. It’s our national mascot, and the fur trade involving the beaver is a vital turning point in our country’s history.

Sadly, that fur trade eventually hunted Canadian beavers almost to extinction. Just a generation ago, my parents never saw beavers when they were growing up on their family farms.

During my lifetime, beavers have made a remarkable comeback. Nowadays, at our cottage, the Crane River is chock full of beaver lodges just upstream from Lake Scugog.

Beavers Are Fascinating Animals for Several Reasons

Beavers are fascinating animals for several reasons. They’re amphibious, with specialized, flat tails for swimming.

They consciously engineer their own habitats by building dams as well as homes for themselves. Averaging fifty pounds in size, they’re enormous for a rodent, second in…