Bobby Schopler
Feb 05, 2010
Some people are troubled by beavers, but I think the beaver should be lauded as our national symbol.
It's true the bald eagle is majestic and a powerful bird, but Benjamin Franklin argued against using the eagle. His pick was the turkey.
I actually think the beaver is even more appropriate.
The beaver's valuable fur inspired Lewis and Clark to expand our country's borders west, resulting in the land we now call the United States.
The beaver is widely known for its industriousness, much more so than the scavenging bald eagle.
They build dams, helping to control erosion, while storing food for the difficult times ahead.
This almost unique ability to manipulate their surroundings to improve their future and help sustain a healthy environment is a fundamental necessity we should strive for and emulate.
They are family oriented and monogamous.
Adults raise a litter of kits each year and allow the juveniles to stay at home until they are about 2 and ready to start their own family.
The adults sometimes accompany the juveniles downstream to start a new place before returning home, kind of like taking your kids to college and setting them up in a dorm.
I would be proud to have the beaver as our national emblem. Until then, I will continue to be happy to have them as neighbors.
