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Wild Rose Country has no shortage of iconic landmarks and roadside attractions, but there’s even more than meets the eye. Hidden in Wood Buffalo National Park, Alberta is an incredible beaver dam, which, at 2,000 meters, is the largest in the world.
The World’s Largest Beaver Dam
Located approximately 3 hours north of Fort McMurray, this beaver-built masterpiece is so massive, you can actually see it from space.
Described as “the product of generations of beavers,” the pond formed by the dam is around one metre deep and contains approximately 70,000 cubic metres of water.
According to Parks Canada, scientists first saw the structure by accident while studying satellite images of the surrounding landscape.
“They stumbled upon the beaver dam and noticed it was very large and horseshoe-shaped,” they explained.
“They notified Parks Canada in 2009, and staff flew to the site by helicopter to take photos and measurements.”
Impressive, right?
If you’d like to check it out, you could be in for a miserable trip.
“The dam is located at least 22 kilometres south of Claire Lake, which is part of the Peace-Athabasca Delta. The area around the dam is difficult to access and semi-aquatic,” Parks Canada continues.
“There are no trails or navigable waterways in this part of Wood Buffalo National Park. The dam cannot be reached by land and helicopter landings are not permitted.”
Perhaps, some things are better left to the animals.
Either way, it’s pretty impressive.
Alberta is quite the place, but if you don’t believe us, here are a couple of incredible places that you can visit.
Happy travelling and enjoy!
World’s Largest Beaver Dam – Wood Buffalo National Park, Alberta
Where: see location here
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Cassandra Stefanic
Regional Editor, Prairies – Cassandra is a Calgary-based journalist with a deep appreciation for music, film, food, travelling, and storytelling. When she’s not chasing a story, writing or editing, you’ll likely find her binge-watching a new TV series, at a speakeasy with friends, cooking, or getting lost in a Taylor Swift re-record.
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