Rob Rich

One of the leaner times for them is in summer, and so I was just fascinated by this is a time when the wolves have adapted to eat beavers as well. I really got to get... A really close look and just appreciate their keystone role is just how complicated and connected and all the things that they do for diverse animals, predators, prey, and everything in between.

One of the leaner times for them is in summer, and so I was just fascinated by this is a time when the wolves have adapted to eat beavers as well. I really got to get... A really close look and just appreciate their keystone role is just how complicated and connected and all the things that they do for diverse animals, predators, prey, and everything in between.

And so they're a real integrator of a lot of things. And that's one of the areas where it really lit up for me.

And so they're a real integrator of a lot of things. And that's one of the areas where it really lit up for me.

And so they're a real integrator of a lot of things. And that's one of the areas where it really lit up for me.

Yeah, thanks. You're welcome. So I think one of the things that is happening is that it is an instinct. There is part of that proclivity to do that instinctually, but it's also a learned response. They've shown how young beavers are actively learning with their parents and watching them and manipulating wood in the same way. And so building a dam is not a necessity for a beaver.

Yeah, thanks. You're welcome. So I think one of the things that is happening is that it is an instinct. There is part of that proclivity to do that instinctually, but it's also a learned response. They've shown how young beavers are actively learning with their parents and watching them and manipulating wood in the same way. And so building a dam is not a necessity for a beaver.

Yeah, thanks. You're welcome. So I think one of the things that is happening is that it is an instinct. There is part of that proclivity to do that instinctually, but it's also a learned response. They've shown how young beavers are actively learning with their parents and watching them and manipulating wood in the same way. And so building a dam is not a necessity for a beaver.

That is not in itself, is not what's necessary.

That is not in itself, is not what's necessary.

That is not in itself, is not what's necessary.

Beavers are thriving on lake systems where they can have plenty of water. They're on rivers a lot of times where they can bank up in the side of the riverbank without any consequence. And they don't need to build an entire dam across a river or whatnot to have their way. But what dam building does is it is a mechanism for...

Beavers are thriving on lake systems where they can have plenty of water. They're on rivers a lot of times where they can bank up in the side of the riverbank without any consequence. And they don't need to build an entire dam across a river or whatnot to have their way. But what dam building does is it is a mechanism for...

Beavers are thriving on lake systems where they can have plenty of water. They're on rivers a lot of times where they can bank up in the side of the riverbank without any consequence. And they don't need to build an entire dam across a river or whatnot to have their way. But what dam building does is it is a mechanism for...

extending their safety from predators, but also increasing their access to food. And so when they build a dam in a stream system, it's not only spreading the water out across the stream system laterally, but it's also stacking up a lot of weight behind that dam. And so it's sinking more water into exchange with the groundwater system.

extending their safety from predators, but also increasing their access to food. And so when they build a dam in a stream system, it's not only spreading the water out across the stream system laterally, but it's also stacking up a lot of weight behind that dam. And so it's sinking more water into exchange with the groundwater system.

extending their safety from predators, but also increasing their access to food. And so when they build a dam in a stream system, it's not only spreading the water out across the stream system laterally, but it's also stacking up a lot of weight behind that dam. And so it's sinking more water into exchange with the groundwater system.

And I think too often we just think of our river systems as one upstream, downstream, going one way. And what's natural about rivers and watershed systems is that when they spread out as well as down, so laterally and vertically as well. And the researcher Ellen Wohl has just done a lot of great work showing that kind of hydrological complexity of beaver systems.

And I think too often we just think of our river systems as one upstream, downstream, going one way. And what's natural about rivers and watershed systems is that when they spread out as well as down, so laterally and vertically as well. And the researcher Ellen Wohl has just done a lot of great work showing that kind of hydrological complexity of beaver systems.

And I think too often we just think of our river systems as one upstream, downstream, going one way. And what's natural about rivers and watershed systems is that when they spread out as well as down, so laterally and vertically as well. And the researcher Ellen Wohl has just done a lot of great work showing that kind of hydrological complexity of beaver systems.