As the Arctic warms, American beavers are moving north. Beaver populations are increasing in the tundra of Alaska and Canada today. It’s not yet known what this means for the Arctic’s ecosystem. Beavers are known as “natural dam engineers” and can use materials such as branches, shrubs, stones, and soil to build dams and cabins for living. Indigenous residents fear the beaver dams could pose a threat to fish migration. Scientists point out that the ability of beavers to change the landscape is second only to humans. Aerial photography in the 1950s did not reveal any trace of beaver ponds. But in a recent study, Alaska Fairbanks University ecologist Ken Tape found 11,377 beaver ponds based on satellite imagery.
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