Rodents
I can’t help feel sorry for the bad reputation that rodents have, at least in Britain, with the general public’s distain for rats and even mice. Rodents have been a welcome relief for me on many a hike, when I hear a rustle in the trees and, expecting a large bear to jump out, you’re pleasantly surprised to see a tiny critter. He might even come up close to say hello, if you’re lucky.
So, here you are, a page dedicated solely to marvellous rodents.
Beavers
These may be the best-loved rodents out there. And seeing them up close, it’s easy to understand why. My first encounter was in Hinton, Alberta, just outside Jasper National Park. Here, there is a network of dams with man-made boardwalks for easy navigation. I spotted a beaver swimming through the water.
Elk Island National Park, near Edmonton, offers another prospect to see them. Here, while driving, we spotted a beaver out of water – crossing the road. It was hilarious to see this chunky rodent using it’s huge, flat feet to waddle across the tarmac. Unfortunately, my photography skills let me down – I only caught its hind after it passed. Even so, it was awesome sight.
Dams
The beaver – and its dam-building skills – is now considered an important and effective flood defence. In fact, they are being reintroduced to many parts of the world, including the UK, in an attempt to undo human development and degradation of the natural world – and better protect us from ourselves. I’m hoping to see a beaver in my home country soon.
In Elk Island National Park, we came across another large rodent – a musk rat. This poor fella is probably less-well thought of than the beaver, but it is kind of cute, in its own way.
Squirrels
These small woodland critters are another example of the beauty of rodents. In Canada, there are a wide range of varieties in the wild. Can you spot the difference between these?
To help you, here’s a list of those pictured, in no particular order: Columbian ground squirrel, golden-mantled ground squirrel, marmot, chipmunk, red squirrel, Douglas squirrel and grey squirrels.
On many a hike, some of the braver, more curious creatures came close to check me out.
In the video here, a golden-mantled ground squirrel didn’t appear to be afraid of anything – approaching me unprompted, with no offer of food, to say hello.
*Remember, feeding wildlife does them more harm than good. Please don’t, no matter how irresistible they are.
Marmots
These over-sized squirrels are possibly my favourite of all the rodents. They are usually found on higher ground – near the peaks on hikes – and encountering them feels like a reward for the hard work.
From my first hike in Banff, at Bourgeau Lake, to the Bald Hills in Jasper, and the Garibaldi Mountains near Whistler, marmots provided an entertaining distraction from tired legs. They even produced a few moments of comedy gold, either fighting between themselves, or scaring themselves by getting to close to me.
Anyone who denies the appeal of rodents clearly hasn’t met a marmot. This little fella approached me on the trail, before thinking twice, and making off for the safety of the undergrowth. They’re not known to have great eyesight, and it’s possible this marmot scared itself when it got up close.
Higher in the mountains, as the fog limited visibility, these two marmots took no notice of me whatsoever. They appear to be engaging in a playful rumble.
Of course, there is every possibility this was a serious fight. It just didn’t look like it.