Amik the Beaver Adventure Guide

My mission is to take my 'canoe buddies' on a coast-to-coast adventure across Canada's vast Northland, posting stories of my travels and the people I meet along the way. My goal is to reach Canada's most Northern Geocache in Alert, Nunavut, before returning home to Guelph, Ontario.

The name 'Amik' means beaver in the Algonquin language, the most widespread language among Canada's Native Americans. The 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal saw Amik the beaver as their mascot. Some Beaver History: After the early European explorers realized that Canada was not the spice-rich Orient, the main mercantile attraction was the beaver, then a population numbering in the millions. In the late 1600's and early 1700's the fashion of the day was fur top-hats and so the demand for beaver pelts grew. Explorers went deep into the North American wilderness to trap and trade for furs with local natives. Both English and French fur traders were soon selling beaver pelts in Europe at 20 times thier original purchase price. The trade in beaver pelts proved so lucrative that the Hudson's Bay Company honoured the buck-toothed little animal by putting it on the shield of its coat of arms in 1678. A coin was created at the time to equal the value of one beaver pelt. The beaver was included in the armorial bearings of the City of Montreal when it was incorporated as a city in 1833. Sir Sanford Fleming assured the beaver a position as a true National Symbol when he featured it on the first Canadian postage stamp - the "Three Penny Beaver" of 1851. The beaver is still found on the crest of the Canadian Pacific Railway Company (CPR). On March 24, 1975, the beaver received the highest honour ever bestowed on a rodent. On that day it became an official emblem of Canada when an "act to provide for recognition of the beaver (castor canadensis) a symbol of the sovereignty of Canada" received Royal Assent. Today, thanks to conservation and silk hats, the beaver - the largest rodent in Canada - is alive and well all over this great country. Today you can see the Canadian beaver on the back of the Canadian 5 cent coin, and on the coats of arms representing a few of Canada's provinces. On provincial coats or arms the beaver generally represents Canada, or national unity. Some Beaver Trivia: Scouts Canada (Boy Scouts) includes the Beaver Program in their organization. It consists of a group of Beavers 5 to 7 years of age. Each Beaver learns a promise, law and motto to help guide their personal development. A small, tasty, sugar-coated pastry is called a Beaver Tail and it can be found mostly in the Ottawa area. The Beaver is the state animal of the State of Oregon. There was an old Canadian tool manufacturing company named Beaver. The Canadian Wildlife Service has an excellent page all about the beaver. To view this page go to: (visit link)