The Camille Creamer Beaver Exhibit
Have you ever seen a beaver up-close? Delve into the lives of these secret creatures at one of the Chattahoochee Nature Center's most popular exhibits. This male beaver arrived at CNC in February 1995 when less than a week old after his parents and siblings were removed by a trapper.
The Life of a Beaver
Beavers live in family groups or colonies that include a breeding pair and four or five offspring which range in age from newborns to two years. At the age of two, kits (young beavers) leave their parents' lodge and establish colonies of their own. In poor habitats, where new colonization sites are limited, the kits may stay with their parents longer. During this time, the young learn valuable skills from their parents while contributing to the colony's work force. This social structure is important because of the methods beavers use to ensure their survival require a great deal of skill, strength and cooperation among family members.
The Life of Opossums
This female arrived at CNC in September 2010 after being found in a swimming pool skimmer in Valdosta GA and was taken to a licensed mammal rehabilitator in south Georgia. However, her left eye never developed properly so she is partially blind. Because she has no depth perception, coupled with the left-side blindness, she cannot survive on her own in the wild. Opossums only have a body temperature of 94°F, so they do not carry rabies, which prefers a temperature of 98°F or warmer. They are true omnivores and can eat anything that fits into their mouths. In urban areas, one of their favorite prey items is cockroaches!