
S11E8 Curious Canadian History presents: Canadian Time Machine | The Furry Gold of Canada: The Beaver’s 50-Year Legacy
From Curious Canadian History by David Borys
January 13, 2026 · 33 min
About this episode
This episode explores the 50th anniversary of the beaver as an official national symbol of Canada and its impact on the environment and trade.
In this episode, we step back in time with the Canadian Time Machine podcast to explore the 50th anniversary of the beaver becoming an official national symbol. For more than 50 years, this small but mighty animal has shaped rivers, driven trade, and quietly transformed the land. Wildlife ecologist Dr. Glynnis Hood and Jan Kingshott, director of animal welfare at Aspen Valley Wildlife Sanctuary, take us inside the beaver’s world—from its role in the fur trade to its work as an ecosystem engineer today—and reveal why it remains one of Canada’s most remarkable and resilient symbols. More episodes are available at https://lnkfi.re/canadian-time-machine . To read the episode transcripts in French and English, and to learn more about historic Canadian milestones, please visit thewalrus.ca/canadianheritage . There is also a French counterpart of this show called Voyages Dans L’Histoire Canadienne so if you’re bilingual and want to listen to more, visit https://lnkfi.re/Voyages-dans-lhistoire-canadienne . Check out Canyon Entertainment’s newest podcast hosted by David Borys, The Conflict and Culture Podcast, here ! Don’t forget! You…
People in this episode
Host: David Borys
Guests: Jan Kingshott, Dr Glynnis Hood
Topics covered
- beaver
- national symbol
- fur trade
- ecosystem engineer
Keywords
- Canadian Time Machine
- wildlife ecology
- animal welfare
Mentioned in this episode
Books & works: Canadian Time Machine, Voyages Dans L’Histoire Canadienne, The Conflict and Culture Podcast, Punching Above Our Weight
Places: Canada
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