Beaver Watch in Bradford
It was during an evening stroll in my neighbourhood that I happened to see a beaver one evening in a storm water pond, munching a tree branch. I visited the pond for the next few days and saw a pair of them swimming back and forth. My curiosity grew, and within a few days I found out what they had been up to.
They had blocked off the small stream that drained water from the pond and had built a dam. For the next couple of weeks, I would spend hours in the mornings and evenings near the beaver dam, where I could see them swimming, carrying sticks and gradually expanding their dam. It was amazing to see the effort they took, cutting down trees, dragging them to build the dam and depositing mud to prevent the leaks.
The beaver dam attracted other species too. Birds came there daily to inspect it. A mink seemed to share the pond, with or without their consent. A duck that wanted to swim there found out that it was not welcome and made a hasty retreat after one beaver came chasing after it.
However, my joy was short lived as one morning I found the dam destroyed with no sign of the beavers. They were possibly removed, because the township does not allow beavers to build dams in the town, as they destroy trees.
