Biologist find beaver dam so large it's visible from space

[Liberal_in_LA]

Biologist find beaver dam so large it's visible from space

According to The Sun, Biologists have discovered a massive beaver dam in a remote area of a Canadian park that is so large that it is visible from space. Built out of wood, stone, and mud, the dam stretches more than a half-mile in length, and is believed to have been built over a 20 year period.

Located in Wood Buffalo National Park in Northern Alberta, the dam stretches more than 2790 feet in length, making it twice the size of the Hoover Dam. Reportedly there are dozens of lodges built along the structure where families of beavers live. It is believed that these families have worked cooperatively over the years to build, repair, and extend the size of the structure.

The huge dam has created an environment that is especially safe for the bucktoothed, aquatic rodents. The dam builds up water around their lodges, allowing them safe passage to and from their homes and keeping predators from coming too close. The beavers that live near this particular dam are safe from the coyotes, wolves, and bears that would normally prey upon them.

The unprecedented size of this particular dam is what has biologists both surprised and excited. The fact that it has grown to a point where it is visible from space demonstrates the communal nature of the creatures that built it, and their ability to construct structures on a massive scale.

http://www.gadling.com/2010/05/09/biologist-find-giant-beaver-dam-visible-from-space/