Posted on 02/23/2007 7:23:50 AM PST by Abathar
NEW YORK - Beavers grace New York City's official seal. But the industrious rodents have not been seen in the flesh here for as many as 200 years until this week.
Biologists videotaped a beaver swimming up the Bronx River on Wednesday. Its twig-and-mud lodge had been spotted earlier on the river bank, but the tape confirmed the presence of the animal itself.
"It had to happen because beaver populations are expanding, and their habitats are shrinking," said Dietland Muller-Schwarze, a beaver expert at the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse. "We're probably going to see more of them in the future."
Beavers gnawed out a prominent place in the city's early days as a European settlement, attracting fur traders to a nascent Manhattan. The animal appears in the city seal to symbolize a Dutch trading company that factored in the city's colonial beginnings, according to the city's Web site.
But amid heavy trapping, beavers disappeared from the city in the early 1800s, according to the city Parks & Recreation Department.
The beaver that has made its way to the Bronx appears to be a male, several feet (a meter) long and two or three years old, said Patrick Thomas, the mammals curator at the nearby Bronx Zoo.
Biologists have nicknamed the animal "Jose," as a tribute to U.S. Rep. Jose Serrano (news, bio, voting record)'s work to revive the river. The Bronx Democrat lined up federal money for a cleanup.
"But I don't know to what extent I imagined things living in it again," he said.
[groan...] LOL
I clicked on this just because...........
For years I have hoped that my alma mater, the South Carolina Gamecocks [Go Cocks!] would play the Oregon State Beavers.
We did have a nice series with the Southern Cal Trojans whilke I was an undergrad. One of the signs hanging from the upper deck of Williams Brice Stadium read "No Trojans can hold our...'
Oh never mind.
This is a respectable place.
I hate those big expanded beavers.
ummmmm. Britney with no panties
NYC is crawling with beaver.
Spotted in Chappaqua?????????
Quote:
"But amid heavy trapping, beavers disappeared from the city in the early 1800s, according to the city Parks & Recreation Department.
*smile*
Beaver news.
NYC ping
Swimming in the Bronx river? This animal is not long for this world.
Stuned beeber
From http://www.alaskaoutdoorjournal.com/
Roast Beaver Recipe
You'll be surprised at how tasty beaver really is. Barbequed Beaver Tail is a popular favorite among old-timers. Speaking of old, here is a recipe that is ideal for those larger, older beavers who may not be as tender as the young'uns.
1. Wash beaver thoroughly with saltwater.
2. Soak it overnight in water to cover plus the vinegar and 1 Tbs. salt.
3. Next day, drain the meat, wash again and cover with 2 quarts fresh water plus the soda.
4. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Drain again, pat dry and place beaver in roasting pan. Salt & pepper the meat.
6. Cover with sliced onions and bacon or salt pork.
7. Place lid on roaster pan and bake at 375 degrees until tender.
8. Serve with a tart jelly or my Homemade Cranberry Sauce.
Good Cookin',
He can build a lodge with the remains of cement-shoed mobsters.
Thanks, I just had it stuffed.
Yes, that's why it was 'spotted'.
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