The old saying, "What's in a name?", should be modified in the case
of the animal whose picture appears upon the cover of this issue to
"what isn't in a name?". The Mountain Beaver, for that is the
generally accepted common term, is by no means a beaver; neither does it
inhabit, exclusively, the mountains. The "mountain" portion of this
animal's name might apply in this park, as it has been noted in this
section at nearly 4000 feet, but it is more common at low elevations
nearer the coast. Sewellel or Aplodontia, the generic term, would be
more appropriate terms, for in this way one automatically eliminates the
possibility of confusing it with the better known American Beaver.
Another glance at the cover design will reveal a short, chunky animal
whose chief characteristics seem to be two surprisingly small eyes and
long "whiskers". An inspection of the animal itself would further reveal
the fact that it, apparently, has no tail. Actually, of course, this is
not the case, though that portion of the animal's anatomy is so small
that it will escape notice in a casual inspection. The fore claws are
admirably adapted to the animal's needs for the inner toes are short,
thumb-like stubs which enable this fellow to take a good grip upon the
food that it eats, stones that it digs out or the short stubs of twigs
upon the bushes and shrubs that it climbs, "ladder-fashion", a few feet
off the ground. The other claws are long, suited to the purpose of
digging, an activity that is indulged in by the Aplodontia almost to the
point of being a mania. The burrows, usually from 6-24 inches beneath
the surface, often honeycomb the soft springy soils which the animal
frequents. In addition, runways are prepared on the surface which
utilize, for protection, the sloping surfaces of down logs and the
canopy of ferns and other vegetation which grows in such rank abundance
in situations generally frequented by the "Mountain Beaver". Such
evidences of their activity may be readily found in many places in the
park where open areas border woodlands and where running water and
abundant vegetation, which is used as food, are found.
When captured they show a peculiar mixture of stupidity, surly
ferocity, and "bull-headedness". On one occasion one of these animals,
released in the open after being captured, pursued a particular course
without any apparent reason, resenting all efforts to turn it aside with
an angry chattering of its teeth. (C. F. B.)
Until recently the porcupine was not definitely known to be a
resident of Mt. Rainier National Park. In spite of various pros and cons
dealing with the possibility of this animal's presence here, the feeling
existed among many of the park personnel that there would eventually be
tangible proof of their existence in this section. Thus everyone kept a
keen eye to the trail towards a possible solution of this puzzle.
It was along the trail leading down to Stevens Canyon in the summer
of 1930 that District Ranger Charles Browne found possible first proof
of the presence of this animal in Mt. Rainier National Park. There, high
in the trees of that region he found mute signs of peeled bark that he
believed to be the work of porcupine. Again, in the summer of 1932,
while on a survey trip down the ridge above Stevens Canyon, Ranger
Browne found more workings in a grove of trees - with some fifteen or
more having fresh signs of the activities of animals which he believed
to be porcupine. In May of 1954 Mr. Beal of the Bureau of Entomology and
Ranger Dan Pryde were on a tour of inspection in search of insect
infestations. It was on this tour that they found some quills and barked
trees in the area just below Sunrise Point below Yakima Park. Thus
definite evidence of the presence of porcupine was first established in
this area, although the animal itself had not yet been seen. Again, in
the summer of 1935, Ranger Dan Pryde and District Ranger Charles Browne
visited this area to further check the presence of this animal and were
successful in locating some old caves with a few quills buried in the
refuse piles at the entrance of the caves. Signs were found to indicate
that either ants or mice had carried away quills from the heaps. Shortly
after this discovery, Ranger-naturalist E. Y. Danner, and Mr. Davidson,
one of the powerhouse operators, were fortunate in seeing a porcupine on
the Yakima Park road about four miles below Sunrise Point. Near this
same point, after the close of the busy summer season, Rangers Dan Pryde
and Darroch Crookes also saw one of these interesting animals cross the
roadway in front of their car. Upon stopping, they were successful in
getting near enough to the animal to drop an old sweater over it.
Releasing the animal they found that the sweater had many quills caught
in the wool by the interesting minute barbs on the blackened tip of each
quill.
Tangible records began to become more numerous with the first sight
of the animal. Mr. E. A. Kitchin, then E.C.W. Naturalist Technician,
found one of them in the Nickel Creek section of the park in the fall of
1935 and in the early summer of 1936 the most recent and most
interesting observation was made. An old discarded box with a wire
screen in one end served as an unintentional "porcupine trap" in June of
1936. The animal had, in its nocturnal wanderings, fallen into the box
and when found was trying to make its way through the wire mesh. It had
not made its escape from the open end of the box apparently because of
the inherent instinct of the animal not to move backwards, as the nature
of its quills tends to prevent any backward motion as it moves through
the brush when in its native haunts. Upon being freed from its trap it
hid in a pile of window sash in the rear of the "Blockhouse" and
remained there from six in the morning until nine that evening.
So with more and more reports of this animal and its activity being
recorded, it is now definitely established as a resident of Mt. Rainier
National Park.
E. Y. Danner,
Ranger-naturalist.
* * * * *
Raccoon - common about Longmire.
