Beaver Day Is a Great Opportunity To Learn How Did He Become Canada's National Symbol

The beaver may be the national animal of Canada but the furry dam-building rodent can be found across the North American continent and Eurasia as two distinct species, but the population has been on the decline for several decades now. International Beaver Day, celebrated every year on April 7th, aims to celebrate and raise awareness of the plight of the rodent.

We thought it is a great opportunity to learn some more about how exactly did Canada pick the beaver as its national symbol.

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Turns out, without the beaver, Canada as we know it, would not exist.

Everything changed the moment when early French explorers realized, "Well, they don't have any gold, but damn! Those rodents would make good looking hats." Beginning in the 16th century, the fur trade was the backbone of the colonial economy and major international industry for roughly 300 years. The fur trade was instrumental in the development of the country that would become Canada. At the heart of the fur trade was the beaver, whose pelts were used to make everything from wool felt hats to robes to winter coats.

Via /canadian-heritage
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The use of the beaver as a symbol stems back to the main players of the fur trade, the Hudson's Bay Company, who put the animal on their coat of arms in 1621.

Given the history of companies and governments using the image of the beaver for representative and monetary purposes, as well as the fact that the beaver actually lives in every province, it is not hard to see why the beaver was given royal assent on March 24, 1975—thereby making them Canada's official national animal.

Via /canadian-heritage
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Extensive conservation efforts

The only reason the beaver is still around today is because of an extensive conservation effort over the course of the 20th century. By the time the fur trade industry collapsed in the middle of the 19th century, the beaver was close to becoming extinct.

Via /canadian-heritage