When you think of Canadian animals what comes to mind? I bet you probably thought of a beaver! These hardworking, dam builders are deeply associated with the great Canadian outdoors. In fact, you probably have or had a little beaver in your wallet recently with our furry friend on the back of the nickel. 

Amick (AH-mick) is the Anishinaabemowin name for beaver. Prior to the arrival of settlers, Indigenous peoples had long recognized the importance and value of beavers. Their fur could be used for clothing, their bones for tools, even their castoreum scent could be used in hunting lures. They have a large influence on the ecosystem and bring water. 

These ecosystem engineers alter their habitats to create wetlands which other species depend on. They use trees and shrubs to build dams and their home lodges. The damming of these areas provides habitat for fish, amphibians, and dragonflies. 

The scientific name for the North American beaver is Castor canadensis, another Canadian connection to our friends. 2025 marks 50 years since beavers were recognized as a symbol of the sovereignty of Canada in the National Symbol of Canada Act (1975). Fun fact: The three-pence Beaver postage stamp, 1851, was the first postage stamp made in Canada and also the first in the world to feature an animal! 

Interested in seeing these wetlands in action? One of Murphys Point’s many trails is the Beaver Pond trail. This trail branches off of the Silver Queen Mine Trail and provides an alternate route that passes a flooded wetland.