If you find yourself exploring two areas just outside of Edmonton, be on the lookout for the aftermath of a busy beaver or two.
Alberta Parks has issued an advisory for the Cooking Lake-Blackfoot Provincial Recreation Area and Miquelon Lake Provincial Park, located east and southeast of Edmonton, respectively, due to the presence of beavers making a bit of a mess.
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The wildlife warning stated that “beavers are actively cutting trees in the park. Be prepared to step over or navigate around downed trees that may be blocking the trail.”
The affected areas at Miquelon Lake include the Beaver Hills Loop Trail, Chickadee Loop Trail, Deer Loop Trail, Ermine Loop Trail, Fox Loop Trail, and the Grouse Loop Trail.
The areas at Cooking Lake-Blackfoot impacted in the warning include the Blackfoot Lake Staging Area Day Use, Cooking Lake-Blackfoot Provincial Recreation Area, Islet Lake Staging Area Day Use, Waskehegan North (from Central Alleyway to Blackfoot Trail) Trail, and Waskehegan South (Central Alleyway to Lost Lake Trail) Trail.
The two parks are no strangers to wildlife, as a warning about garter snake migrations appeared at the end of August.
If you didn’t already know, Alberta is home to the world’s largest beaver dam AND a giant beaver statue, so this warning seems fitting for the province.