The Esna beavers have felled birches in March 2019.
Photo: Ingmar Muusikus
Estonian text posted by the Animal of the Year Team
English translation Liis

Hundred meter long beaver dams occur rarely in Estonia. One such giant structure was built by the beaver group at the Esna springs. Evidently the dam, dividing the swampy spring area, was ready already in 2017. The hard-working creatures had unknown to themselves made an early symbolic gift for Estonia’s jubilee. By 2019 the landscape view had changed somewhat.

If the winter of this year should still continue it is certainly worthwhile to use  the opportunity to visit a beaver lodge  noted in summer – how different its surroundings look in winter! In his video  wildlife filmmaker and theriologist Remek Meel who has studied beavers for years  briefly also presents  a giant beaver lodge that looks truly mysterious in the wintery landscape. The present video is the first of a 10-part serial on beaver subjects that will introduce the activities of Eurasia’s largest rodent during the year.