Science

My friends and I would hike into remote ponds and lakes and sleep overnight in one of the many lean-to's that were constructed by the state EPA for that purpose.
We were at the lean -to on the shore of Peaked Mountain Pond, and could see several beaver lodges in the pond.
After we got there and settled in, a beaver swam right at us from the pond, got close to the shore, turned around, and slapped it's tale hard on the water.
It was very loud; almost like a gun shot. It was the beaver's message that this was it's space, and it didn't like us intruding.
Very impressive!
The whole area was filled with small ponds, meadows, and marshes...a testament to their ability to create and maintain an environment that provide food and shelter for a wide variety of woodland creatures.