Beaver dam in the Sawtooth National Forest, Idaho, USA
© Charles Knowles/Alam
Beaver achievers
Don't get distracted by the awesome top half of today's photo. The postcard appeal of Idaho's Sawtooth Range is undeniable, but our focus today is on the humble structure at the bottom.
Beaver dams like this can be found coast to coast in the United States and Canada, and now is the time of year when these industrious rodents put in extra time to reinforce their dams. Listening closely for trickles of running water, they patch compromised sections with logs and mud, securing their habitat for the chilly winter. And their efforts have important downstream effects: Beaver dams help prevent floods by slowing water flows, and also filter out sediment to create cleaner streams and rivers.
Related Images
The Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas
Lake Dobson in Mount Field National Park of Tasmania
The Copper River Delta in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska
The Seventeen-Arch Bridge over Kunming Lake in Beijing Summer Palace, China
County Bridge in New Hampshire
Sunrise at Angkor Wat in Cambodia
Reflections on Crummock Water in the Lake District, Cumbria, England
Contemporary ballet 'Tree of Codes' comes to Sydney Festival 2018
Bing Today Images
Toronto city skyline seen from Lake Ontario, Canada
Sep 05, 2024
Mount Segla, Senja Island, Troms og Finnmark, Norway
Sep 05, 2023
Trans-Taiga Road, Northern Quebec, Canada
Sep 05, 2022
Grand Canal, Venice, Italy
Sep 05, 2021
Tegallalang terrace farms in Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
Sep 05, 2019
The Sneffels Range in Colorado, USA
Sep 05, 2017
Waterfalls in Phnom Kulen National Park, Cambodia
Sep 05, 2016
