What is Canada's National Animal?

Did you know that the Beaver is Canada's National Animal?

 Read this passage from "All About Canadian History" to learn more!

"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 a major international industry for roughly 300 years. The fur trade was instrumental in the development of the country that would become Canada. Those involved, be it explorers, voyageurs, or coureur des bois, pushed further and further into the North American interior to expand the trade—as well as France’s (and eventually Britain’s) claim over the land. 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. 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."