Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Reproduction And Health Of A Beaver (Castor Canadensis) Population In Prince William County, Virginia, Timothy R. Brophy, Carl H. Ernst

Faculty Publications and Presentations

Reproduction and health were studied in a beaver (Castor canadensis) population from Prince William County, Virginia during 1998. Copulating beavers were observed in Quantico Creek at Prince William Forest Park on 22 January. Seven females from Quantico Marine Base were trapped between January and May, sacrificed, and dissected. Those reproductively active weighed over 39 pounds (17.7 kg) and were trapped before 1 March. Mean litter size based on counts of corpora lutea was 4.80 young (3-7); however, litter size based on the number of embryos present was only 2.75 (1-3), comparable to most others reported in the literature. Five of …