[NatureNS] beaver - size estimation

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Date: Wed, 24 Sep 2008 18:41:06 -0300
From: "Ronald Arsenault" <rongarsenault@gmail.com>
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
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Thank you!

2008/9/23 <bdigout@seaside.ns.ca>

> Very well said, Ron.
> Billy
>
>
> > Hello,
> >
> > The descriptions provided thus far strongly suggest beaver.  Muskrats, as
> > suggested earlier, typically eat herbaceous marsh plants (unlike beavers
> > and
> > porcupine, they also eat animal protein) as opposed to woody plants,
> > rarely
> > leaving marshes for purposes of feeding.
> >
> > Porcupines would likely not hesitate to eat rose bushes, but unlike the
> > case
> > described, they make a rather ragged cut, not the clean cut described
> > here.
> >
> > As for the size of the animal, adult beaver teeth average about 6 mm.
>  The
> > 3.75 mm suggests a sub adult animal.  Beavers in their second summer
> often
> > wander away from their family group (although they may return to spend
> the
> > winter in their natal den).  This would fit well with the size of the
> > gnawing marks observed and the fact that the location where this feeding
> > occurred does not appear to harbour a permanent beaver population.
> >
> > My 2 cents worth.
> >
> > Ron Arsenault
> > Memramcook, N.B.
> >
> > 2008/9/22 <bdigout@seaside.ns.ca>
> >
> >> Hi Steve,
> >>  I'm not sure about spacing of teeth, but normally you can estimate the
> >> size of the beaver by the height of cuts on the trees, or in this case
> >> the alders.   Beavers often cut trees while propped up on their hind
> >> feet, using their tail for balance.  If the cuts are close to two feet
> >> high or more, you have a large beaver. I hope that helps.
> >> Billy
> >>
> >>  > Hi again Billy, or anyone else,
> >> > As an afterthought on a recent reply from me about this, could an
> >> > experienced
> >> > woodsman tell the approximate size of the beast from the spacing of
> >> its
> >> > gnaw
> >> > marks?  Somebody must have looked into this in the past.
> >> >
> >> > One of the diagonally cut alder stems had 8 fairly parallel gnaw
> >> marks.
> >> > These
> >> > were not fully regular (each was not the exact same width), but they
> >> were
> >> > spaced on average 3.75 millimeters apart (a bit over 1/8 inch, more
> >> like
> >> > 5/64"
> >> > if you prefer inches).
> >> > Would that be a little beaver or a big sucker?
> >> > Steve, Halifax
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > Quoting bdigout@seaside.ns.ca:
> >> >>    Earlier, I sent a reply indicating beaver...  If Chocolate Lake
> >> was
> >> >> in
> >> >> Cape Breton, then beaver would have been the only choice; since we
> >> >> have no porcupines.
> >> >>   Because only muskrat and beaver were mentioned, was there any
> >> >> indication the culprit came from the water, or was there no visible
> >> >> sign of directionality?
> >> >> Billy
> >> >
> >> >
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
> > --
> > Ronald G. Arsenault
> > Memramcook, N.B.
> >
>
>
>


-- 
Ronald G. Arsenault
Memramcook, N.B.

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<div dir="ltr">Thank you!<br><br>
<div class="gmail_quote">2008/9/23 <span dir="ltr">&lt;bdigout@seaside.ns.ca&gt;</span><br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="PADDING-LEFT: 1ex; MARGIN: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; BORDER-LEFT: #ccc 1px solid">Very well said, Ron.<br>Billy<br>
<div>
<div></div>
<div class="Wj3C7c"><br><br>&gt; Hello,<br>&gt;<br>&gt; The descriptions provided thus far strongly suggest beaver. &nbsp;Muskrats, as<br>&gt; suggested earlier, typically eat herbaceous marsh plants (unlike beavers<br>&gt; and<br>
&gt; porcupine, they also eat animal protein) as opposed to woody plants,<br>&gt; rarely<br>&gt; leaving marshes for purposes of feeding.<br>&gt;<br>&gt; Porcupines would likely not hesitate to eat rose bushes, but unlike the<br>
&gt; case<br>&gt; described, they make a rather ragged cut, not the clean cut described<br>&gt; here.<br>&gt;<br>&gt; As for the size of the animal, adult beaver teeth average about 6 mm. &nbsp;The<br>&gt; 3.75 mm suggests a sub adult animal. &nbsp;Beavers in their second summer often<br>
&gt; wander away from their family group (although they may return to spend the<br>&gt; winter in their natal den). &nbsp;This would fit well with the size of the<br>&gt; gnawing marks observed and the fact that the location where this feeding<br>
&gt; occurred does not appear to harbour a permanent beaver population.<br>&gt;<br>&gt; My 2 cents worth.<br>&gt;<br>&gt; Ron Arsenault<br>&gt; Memramcook, N.B.<br>&gt;<br>&gt; 2008/9/22 &lt;bdigout@seaside.ns.ca&gt;<br>
&gt;<br>&gt;&gt; Hi Steve,<br>&gt;&gt; &nbsp;I&#39;m not sure about spacing of teeth, but normally you can estimate the<br>&gt;&gt; size of the beaver by the height of cuts on the trees, or in this case<br>&gt;&gt; the alders. &nbsp; Beavers often cut trees while propped up on their hind<br>
&gt;&gt; feet, using their tail for balance. &nbsp;If the cuts are close to two feet<br>&gt;&gt; high or more, you have a large beaver. I hope that helps.<br>&gt;&gt; Billy<br>&gt;&gt;<br>&gt;&gt; &nbsp;&gt; Hi again Billy, or anyone else,<br>
&gt;&gt; &gt; As an afterthought on a recent reply from me about this, could an<br>&gt;&gt; &gt; experienced<br>&gt;&gt; &gt; woodsman tell the approximate size of the beast from the spacing of<br>&gt;&gt; its<br>&gt;&gt; &gt; gnaw<br>
&gt;&gt; &gt; marks? &nbsp;Somebody must have looked into this in the past.<br>&gt;&gt; &gt;<br>&gt;&gt; &gt; One of the diagonally cut alder stems had 8 fairly parallel gnaw<br>&gt;&gt; marks.<br>&gt;&gt; &gt; These<br>&gt;&gt; &gt; were not fully regular (each was not the exact same width), but they<br>
&gt;&gt; were<br>&gt;&gt; &gt; spaced on average 3.75 millimeters apart (a bit over 1/8 inch, more<br>&gt;&gt; like<br>&gt;&gt; &gt; 5/64&quot;<br>&gt;&gt; &gt; if you prefer inches).<br>&gt;&gt; &gt; Would that be a little beaver or a big sucker?<br>
&gt;&gt; &gt; Steve, Halifax<br>&gt;&gt; &gt;<br>&gt;&gt; &gt;<br>&gt;&gt; &gt; Quoting bdigout@seaside.ns.ca:<br>&gt;&gt; &gt;&gt; &nbsp; &nbsp;Earlier, I sent a reply indicating beaver... &nbsp;If Chocolate Lake<br>
&gt;&gt; was<br>&gt;&gt; &gt;&gt; in<br>&gt;&gt; &gt;&gt; Cape Breton, then beaver would have been the only choice; since we<br>&gt;&gt; &gt;&gt; have no porcupines.<br>&gt;&gt; &gt;&gt; &nbsp; Because only muskrat and beaver were mentioned, was there any<br>
&gt;&gt; &gt;&gt; indication the culprit came from the water, or was there no visible<br>&gt;&gt; &gt;&gt; sign of directionality?<br>&gt;&gt; &gt;&gt; Billy<br>&gt;&gt; &gt;<br>&gt;&gt; &gt;<br>&gt;&gt;<br>&gt;&gt;<br>&gt;&gt;<br>
&gt;<br>&gt;<br>&gt; --<br>&gt; Ronald G. Arsenault<br>&gt; Memramcook, N.B.<br>&gt;<br><br><br></div></div></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>Ronald G. Arsenault<br>Memramcook, N.B.<br></div>

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