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The beaver is Canada’s national animal and Beaver Ridge Lodge is proud to be neighbours with many of these native residents. Although beavers are often categorized as a rodent, Beaver Ridge sees them as unique and peaceful creatures who provide a unique balance in nature. They are known for building their homes (beaver lodges) in the ponds that are formed when the beavers build dams in rivers. Many people view beavers as destructive to the landscape when in fact they can do just the opposite.

“The actions of beavers for hundreds of thousands of years in the Northern Hemisphere have kept watery systems healthy and in good repair, although a human observing all the downed trees might think that the beavers were doing just the opposite. The beaver works as a keystone species in an ecosystem by creating wetlands that are used by many other species. Next to humans, no other extant animal appears to do more to shape its landscape”    - Quote taken from Wikipedia They are amazing architects and build complex homes not only to protect them against predators, but also to provide easy access to food under the frozen water during the winter months. The shape of their home depends on the water currents; if there is a strong current the beaver lodge tends to be more curved compared to a straighter lodge if there is little to no current. Their homes are built with a variety of trees and shrubs that are packed with mud to create an incredibly sturdy and strong structure.