It took four years lying underwater to get a perfect shot of a Eurasian beaver

boingboing.net ^ | 5/24/17 | Andrea James

[Rebelbase]

For four years, photographer Louis-Marie Preau would lie motionless underwater for hours at a time to get this perfect shot of a Eurasian beaver carrying a branch back to its lodge.

Equally as impressive as Preau's efforts were the efforts to pull these delightful creatures back from near extinction.

Via bioGraphic: Prized for both their fur and their castoreum—a scent-gland secretion once believed to cure everything from headaches to hysteria, Eurasian beavers were nearly hunted to extinction by the middle of the 19th century. In France, the species (Castor fiber) was nearly wiped out entirely, with the exception of a small population of about 100 individuals in the lower Rhone valley. But a combination of local hunting prohibitions and reintroduction programs brought these animals back from the brink, and there are now more than 14,000 beavers in the country.

[11Bush]

My Dive Table does not go up to four years. Must have been one heck of a decompression routine.

[TigersEye]

Now here’s something you can really relate to I’m sure. ;-)

[KarlInOhio]

It took four years lying underwater to get a perfect shot of a Eurasian beaver

It often takes a lot of lying to get a shot... oh, forget it. Some jokes are just too easy.

[mountn man]

It is?

Yes!

[dynachrome]

Comment redacted so I don’t get banned.

[Tax-chick]

Whatever.

[tophat9000]

So would that photo be called “Beaver with Bush”?

[beebuster2000]

what was the movie with james caan where the “newcomer” aliens ate beaver meat?

[Rebelbase]

I don’t watch XXX movies.

[tumblindice]

Obligatory Don't call me Shirley, Naked Gun reference:

[pingman]

A few hours in a Ukraine bar could yield the same results.

[ColdOne]

That looks big. Do you know what size that was?

[JohnBrowdie]

That’s creepy.

---

oddly, that's exactly what she was thinking.

[EQAndyBuzz]

Ward, there’s something wrong with the Beave.

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

A buddy of mine trapped one, and brought the body to show me. Unreal stink! My Briard went nutz!

[brucedickinson]

Big deal. I have a photo of Lee Majors ripping off Bigfoot's arm!

[Rebelbase]

Bigger than I’d ever want to tangle with.

[tumblindice]

Dear Ann: I have been `blacking out’ while binge drinking.
What should I do?
Purplexed in Poughkeepsie

Dear Reader: Try not to pass out in a bar with stuffed animals, neckties or human ears nailed to the walls.
Ann Landers

[TaMoDee]

There were quite a number in RVN in 1960’s most were of the French variety.

[mountn man]

Alien Nation