Beaver makes home in Halifax, NS subdivision

We have a new resident in our neighbourhood. She's pretty shy but you can't help but notice her presence. A beaver has taken up residence on a small island in the middle of pond here in Halifax. Since last spring, my daughter and I've taken notice of our busy neighbour and have been intrigued since.

Her name is "Hailey", after the pond she lives in. By the way, we have no clue of the sex and my daughter likes the idea of her being a girl anyway. So, Hailey's den (lodge) has really taken shape over the past month as she prepares for her first winter in the pond. What began as a modest mound on the island now has a considerable shape to it. See the den in the middle of the picture on the right?


I think it's fascinating having a beaver nearby. I've read online all about beavers and I'm proud it's on our 5 cent coin. As long as no body gets hurt and she's respected from a distance, I'm okay with Hailey being in the neighbourhood. In fact, a couple landowners have wrapped their favourite trees with steel mesh so they don't fall victim to Hailey's industriousness. To think that this beaver crossed a busy four lane highway from Long Lake Provincial Park to get to this pond, I shudder at the thought of her deciding to return.

Here are some interesting facts I learned about our national symbol:
-It's the largest rodent in North America
-A skillful engineer
-Can live up to 12 years
-They are most active from dusk to dawn

I hope Hailey has a great winter under the ice, we'll miss seeing her glide gracefully across the pond.

And now, here's one of those famous Hinterland Who's Who Public Service Announcements: