Along with cherry blossoms and daffodils in bloom, there are other signals that spring is arriving in Nanaimo. 

For instance, Canada's national animal, the beaver is right in the middle of mating season. Kits will be born between the end of April and June. Also, two-year old beavers are starting to leave their family lodges to strike out on their own around this time of year.

There are many benefits beavers provide to ecosystems, such as beaver dams can provide habitat for other wildlife. They also can act as a flood management tool by storing and slowly releasing water - this helps to maintain flow in dry periods which keeps fish in the creek alive.

Recently the pond located in Linley Valley Drive Park was the scene of one or more busy beavers as they chewed a number of young alder trees as can be seen in the picture below.

Beaver dams in urban areas can cause flood damage. If you have concerns about a beaver setting up house in your neighbourhood, please call Public Works at 250-758-5222. 

Sourced from Pacific Streamkeepers Federation.

American Beaver photo by Steve from washington, dc, usa (American Beaver) [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons.