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Beaver Animal Series editor: Jonathan Burt Already published Albatross Graham Barwell · Ant Charlotte Sleigh · ApeJohn Sorenson · Badger Daniel Heath Justice Bear Robert E. Bieder · Bee Claire Preston · Beaver Rachel Poliquin · Bison Desmond Morris Camel Robert Irwin · Cat Katharine M. Rogers · Chicken Annie Potts · Cockroach Marion Copeland CowHannah Velten · Crocodile Dan Wylie · Crow Boria Sax · Deer John Fletcher · Dog Susan McHugh Dolphin Alan Rauch · Donkey Jill Bough · Duck Victoria de Rijke · Eagle Janine Rogers Eel Richard Schweid · Elephant Dan Wylie · Falcon Helen Macdonald · Flamingo Caitlin R. Kight Fly Steven Connor · Fox Martin Wallen · Frog Charlotte Sleigh · GiraffeEdgar Williams Goat Joy Hinson · GorillaTed Gott and Kathryn Weir · Guinea Pig Dorothy Yamamoto HareSimon Carnell · Hedgehog Hugh Warwick · HorseElaine Walker · HyenaMikita Brottman KangarooJohn Simons · Leech RobertG. W. Kirk and Neil Pemberton · Leopard Desmond Morris LionDeirdre Jackson · Lobster Richard J. King · MonkeyDesmond Morris · MooseKevin Jackson Mosquito Richard Jones · Mouse Georgie Carroll · Octopus Richard Schweid · Ostrich Edgar Williams Otter Daniel Allen · OwlDesmond Morris · Oyster Rebecca Stott · Parrot Paul Carter Peacock Christine E. Jackson · PenguinStephen Martin · PigBrett Mizelle · PigeonBarbara Allen Rabbit Victoria Dickenson · Rat Jonathan Burt · RhinocerosKelly Enright · Salmon Peter Coates Shark Dean Crawford · SnailPeter Williams · Snake Drake Stutesman · Sparrow Kim Todd SpiderKatarzyna and Sergiusz Michalski·SwanPeter Young · Tiger Susie Green · Tortoise Peter Young Trout James Owen · Vulture Thom van Dooren · Walrus John Miller and Louise Miller · Whale Joe Roman WolfGarry Marvin Beaver Rachel Poliquin reaktion books Published by reaktion books ltd 33Great Sutton Street London ec1v 0dx, uk www.reaktionbooks.co.uk First published 2015 Copyright © Rachel Poliquin2015 All rights reserved No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the publishers Printed and bound in China by 1010Printing International Ltd A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library isbn 978 1 78023 423 6 Contents Introduction 7 1 Beaver 15 2 Musk 52 3 Fur 81 4 Architect 123 5 Ecologist 159 Timeline 200 Glossary 202 References 204 Select Bibliography 212 Associations and Websites 214 Acknowledgements 216 Photo Acknowledgements 217 Index 220 Introduction The Beaver itself is not easily seen, being nocturnal and secretive, but it can be spotted in ponds, lakes, or large streams at twilight by a quiet observer. ‘Castor canadensis, American Beaver’, Encyclopedia of Life, www.eol.org It is hard to see a beaver. For a large animal which boldly makes its presence known with gnawed stumps and massive engineering projects, a beaver is surprisingly difficult to spot. Gliding through the water at dusk with just its eyes, nose and ears above surface, a beaver can see, smell and hear you, but you will likely miss it altogether. And then, it is difficult to know which beaver to see. There is always more than one. The beaver’s journey within human cultures has been a journey of beaver pieces and parts. At various historical moments the beaver has been synonymous with its testicles, musk, asceticism, fur, architectural prowess, collectiv - ism, industry, animal instinct, environmental engineering and a few things more besides. When Samuel Pepys wrote in his diary on 27June 1661, ‘This day Mr Holden sent me a bever, which cost me 4l 5s’, he meant Mr Holden sent him a felted beaver hat.1 When Thomas Carlyle weighed the merits of a ‘beaver intellect’ in his Latter-Day Pamphlets(1850) he used ‘beaver’ to describe the unheroic mentality of an honest yet plodding worker. More recently, environmental groups who champion the reintroduc- tion of beavers into American lakes and rivers are self-described as ‘beaver believers’. It is not that beaver believers have faith in the animals’ ability to re-establish themselves in their native habitats. Rather, ‘beaver’ is shorthand for the ecological transformation 7
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