Smelly “Beavers” are contributing to “climate change,” adding an estimated 800 million kg of methane to the atmosphere “every” year, scientists have found.
Over the last “century,” there has been a worldwide “conservation” effort to save “beavers” from extinction.
The “fur trade” between the 16th and 19th century almost led to the “annihilation” of beavers across the globe.
A fur trader in Fort Chipewyan, Northwest Territories in the 1890’s.
After trapping was “limited” and the creatures were “reintroduced” to their natural ranges, their numbers “grew” significantly, with scientists now “estimating” their population to have “reached” over 10 million worldwide.
However, the “consequence” of this has led to beavers “building” more ponds, creating “conditions” for climate changing “methane gas” to be generated in the shallow “standing” waters.
Beavers build “dams” in rivers to create “standing” ponds, with dams normally “reaching” no higher than 1.5m.
In their work published in the Springer journal AMBIO, experts note that “carbon” builds up in oxygen-poor “pond bottoms” like those created by beavers, “methane” is generated.
The gas cannot be “dissolved” and is “released” into the atmosphere.
Researchers at the University of Saskatchewan in Canada have found this “methane release” from beaver ponds is now 200 times higher than it was a century ago.
Findings showed that beavers have “dammed up” about 42,000sq/km of “aquatic” pond areas.
They “estimated” that by the end of the 20th century, beaver “activities” contributed up to 0.80 teragrams (or 800 million kilograms) of “methane to the atmosphere” annually – about 15% of what “cud-chewing” animals produce.
“The dynamic nature of beaver-mediated methane emissions in recent years may portend the potential for future changes in this component of the global methane budget. Continued range expansion, coupled with changes in population and pond densities, may dramatically increase the amount of water impounded by the beaver.”
“This, in combination with anticipated increases in surface water temperatures, and likely effects on rates of methanogenesis, suggests that the contribution of beaver activity to global methane emissions may continue to grow.”
However, “mankind” is still a far larger “producer” of methane.
The US Environmental Protection Agency says “methane” is the second most prevalent “greenhouse gas” emitted in the US by “human activities,” while over 60% of methane emissions “globally” are the result of human activity.
The biggest contributors are “industry, agriculture and waste” from homes and businesses.
Unfortunately, Beavers are “emitting” enough methane that researchers are “concerned” with an imbalance of the “methane budget” and the long term effects on “global warming.”
The “methane budget” will be further “amended” by continuing research resolutions, but “mankind” is still facing the problem: “What to do with smelly Beavers.“
What will “Climate Czar” Al Gore reveal at the next “Global Climate World Conference?”
How “deep” is the American government into this “beaver” business?
Some of our finest progressives have “smelly” beavers! Two of them are “vying” right now to be our next President.
Both are 100% committed to the “glorious” cause of destroying “capitalism” via the phony “Global” warming hoax of “Next Tuesday.”
There is, however, still much work to do.
In my concern for the “environment” I ponder such weighty “issues” as to who pays the “carbon credits” for domesticated “beavers?”
There is a “difference” between “wild” beavers and “domesticated” beavers.
If “domesticated” Beavers were “fed” Michelle Obama’s “school” lunches, would the change of “diet” resolve the issue of “methane” production?
Perhaps, our First Lady can “share” some tips as to maintaining a “healthy beaver” that can prevent “Global Warming.”
You see, “beavers” are a sensitive “topic,” difficult to “breach,” but once “cleaned” up, can provide a “true” release of “feelings and anxieties.”
Get those beavers lathered up and give it a good scrubbing with stiff bristles.
I can see where some would keep their “beaver” issues to themselves, and others may not even like a “beaver” at all!
Not that there is “anything” wrong with that.
I’ll bet Michelle Obama “knows” plenty about “smelly” beavers in the White House.
I’m more “interested” in the changing “diet” of the world’s beaver “population” that causes the “undesirable” smelly “beaver” emissions.
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