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EXPLORING BEAVER HABITAT AND DISTRIBUTION WITH GOOGLE EARTH:

EXCEPTIONAL BEAVER HABITAT ON THE SLOPES OF THE PASQUIA HILLS, SASKATCHEWAN : COMPARING 2007 GOOGLE EARTH IMAGERY WITH 1945 AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY.

 

The slopes of the Pasquia Hills area in Northern Saskatchewan have some of the most impressive beaver habitat and beaver densities I have seen so far. Perhaps the title of Canada's Beaver Capital could be appropriate for the beaver community located just to the east of the Pakwaw Lake First Nations Community.

Pakwaw Lake Beaver Community in 1945

The area was flown in 1945 (August 2nd) with black and white photography taken from an altitude of 12'500 ft above sea level and a minus blue filter. The photogrpaky is not of great quality, but shows clearly that beavers at that time were not occupying this area in large quantities.

Some of the following vertical aerial photos are overlayn on Google Earth (KMZ) and provide an opprtunity to analyse the differences.

1945 Beaver Community near Pakwaw Lake

Very few beaver dams are visible. Some are identified with an Astarix *

The Shoal Lake Community at that time was located in the light grey clearing on the left

 

 

 

Limited beaver activity is visible near the arrows. Gacila lake beach lines are visible as result of the sparse tree cover

1945 Pasquia Slopes.

The work of beavers is more prominently visible on the steeper slopes of the Pasquia Hills. Beavers have used the natural relief caused by land slides and old beach lines to manage their ponds.