The World’s Largest Beaver Dam Is In Alberta & You Can Literally See It From Space (2024)

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The World’s Largest Beaver Dam Is In Alberta & You Can Literally See It From Space? ›

ALBERTA, Canada – Far in the northern reaches of the Canadian province of Alberta is a beaver dam so big that it's literally visible from space. Wood Buffalo National Park is home to the Peace-Athabasca Delta, one of the largest inland fresh-water deltas on the planet.

Nestled in Wood Buffalo National Park in Alberta, Canada, lies the world's largest beaver dam, an awe-inspiring feat that is so massive it can be seen from space.

Wood Buffalo National Park is the largest national park in Canada. It's known for wood bison, whooping cranes, and for having one of the largest inland freshwater deltas in the world - the Peace-Athabasca Delta. It is also home to the largest beaver dam in the world.

Beavers are an important member of the wildlife community in Fish Creek Provincial Park, and the lack of natural predators in this 3,300-acre urban park makes it attractive to these furry, semi-aquatic mammals.

Some of the most visible spots are Belgian highways, with 335,000 lights on 150,000 lampposts, while beloved cities like London, Paris, Tokyo and San Francisco look like a warm orange glow on the earth's surface.

Astronauts can see man-made structures, including the Pyramids of Giza and Dubai's Palm Islands. Natural landmarks, such as the Grand Canyon and the Amazon River, can also be observed from the ISS.

Remember: some water will trickle past your dam; a beaver dam on a stream or river doesn't completely hold the water back.

A minimum water level of 0.6 to 0.9 metres (2.0 to 3.0 ft) is required to keep the underwater entrance to beaver lodges from being blocked by ice during the winter. In lakes, rivers and large streams with deep enough water, beavers may not build dams, and live in bank burrows and lodges.

Why do they destroy beaver dams? ›

The forest service adds, watershed restoration, infrastructure or public safety threats occasionally require partial or complete removal of beaver dams, but that's usually a temporary fix as beavers tend to build the dams back up quickly.

Beavers don't actually live in the dams, but in the deep pond of water that dams create. In this pool, beavers construct their real home: a small protective island or dome 'lodge' that serves as a dry living area and food store.

Under the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, 1997, it is illegal to damage or destroy beaver dams, unless specifically exempted by the Act (i.e., for the removal of dams to protect private property). Visit Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, 1997, S.O. 1997, c. 41 (ontario.ca) for more details.

Beavers are generally nocturnal. However, it is not uncommon to see them during the day in larger water bodies. Beavers generally avoid people and do not stray far from the relative safety of water. Beavers need water deep enough to swim to their food sources and avoid predators.

In Canada, a beaver family has built a dam extending 850m – that's more than twice as long as the Hoover Dam. It's so big it can be seen from outer space. But that's not the only reason NASA is interested in this architecturally minded species…

These Earth observation satellites typically carry their own radar. However, it is not possible to see individual land mines from Space.

Amazon River

Because this river is so large, it's quite easy to spot from space. It looks a lot like a giant sand-coloured worm or snake slithering across South America.

Yes, both the Grand Canyon and Valles Marineris are visible from space. Astronauts on the International Space Station often take pictures of the Grand Canyon.