Hmmm...this is the only way I can think of submitting my essay- but it is more than a page double-spaced, though LJ ignores the original formatting.
I believe that the beaver is the perfect choice for my animagus. Beavers are extremely useful and practical creatures- they work long and hard, and they are a major staple of a healthy, efficient environment. I do consider myself an environmentalist- indeed, it’s an important subject for me. Beavers create rich habitats for other creatures- mammals, fish, turtles, frogs, birds and ducks to name a few. In building dams, they create wetlands- lush ecotones that are home to thousands of species of insects, migratory birds, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals. Wetlands are extremely important to the environment, as they are a sort of “water filter” for rivers and streams. Beavers are a keystone species- meaning that many other different species and their environment depend on them. They are very intricately woven into the web of life. I like to believe that I am extremely helpful to my peers, and that those around me can depend on me- have a shoulder to cry on when they need to. I also consider myself practical and useful- an important addition to any team. Beavers are extremely strong swimmers, and I love swimming, and they are very playful animals. I also have my very playful and loving moments, where I feel intimate with my friends and very close. Beavers are K-type specialists, meaning that they have few young and the rear the few offspring they produce- as opposed to R-type specialists, such as spiders, fish, and cockroaches (to name a few)- who have many offspring and leave them to fend for themselves with the hope that a few will survive. Because they breed only once a year, require streamside habitats, and two-year-olds leave home each spring to find their own territories, beavers rarely overpopulate. This is something I consider very intelligent and practical- it’s almost as if beavers instinctively know better than humans how to control populations and take what they need from their environment while giving much more in return. It’s funny really, now that I think about it, how closely beavers and I relate in personality, but there it is. Also, beaver fur is extremely useful- it’s amazingly warm and it’s water-resistant, not to mention very soft and sleek (not that I support the fur industry in any way). Lastly, I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for rodents- I’ve had a few guinea pigs and there are few things on earth that I find cuter. When you look at a beaver, you can very easily see the resemblance- the only animal that I can think of that is closer in appearance to a guinea pig than a beaver is a capybara. I know this sounds like I just copied/pasted a paragraph from an online encyclopedia, but I didn’t. Like I said before, environmental studies are fascination to me and most of the information (of course, I did look some of it up) is stuff that I’ve picked up through my studies. I’m really happy with this animagus- it’s something I never really considered, but it fits me well. Thank you very much!
no subject
I believe that the beaver is the perfect choice for my animagus. Beavers are extremely useful and practical creatures- they work long and hard, and they are a major staple of a healthy, efficient environment. I do consider myself an environmentalist- indeed, it’s an important subject for me. Beavers create rich habitats for other creatures- mammals, fish, turtles, frogs, birds and ducks to name a few. In building dams, they create wetlands- lush ecotones that are home to thousands of species of insects, migratory birds, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals. Wetlands are extremely important to the environment, as they are a sort of “water filter” for rivers and streams. Beavers are a keystone species- meaning that many other different species and their environment depend on them. They are very intricately woven into the web of life. I like to believe that I am extremely helpful to my peers, and that those around me can depend on me- have a shoulder to cry on when they need to. I also consider myself practical and useful- an important addition to any team. Beavers are extremely strong swimmers, and I love swimming, and they are very playful animals. I also have my very playful and loving moments, where I feel intimate with my friends and very close. Beavers are K-type specialists, meaning that they have few young and the rear the few offspring they produce- as opposed to R-type specialists, such as spiders, fish, and cockroaches (to name a few)- who have many offspring and leave them to fend for themselves with the hope that a few will survive. Because they breed only once a year, require streamside habitats, and two-year-olds leave home each spring to find their own territories, beavers rarely overpopulate. This is something I consider very intelligent and practical- it’s almost as if beavers instinctively know better than humans how to control populations and take what they need from their environment while giving much more in return. It’s funny really, now that I think about it, how closely beavers and I relate in personality, but there it is. Also, beaver fur is extremely useful- it’s amazingly warm and it’s water-resistant, not to mention very soft and sleek (not that I support the fur industry in any way). Lastly, I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for rodents- I’ve had a few guinea pigs and there are few things on earth that I find cuter. When you look at a beaver, you can very easily see the resemblance- the only animal that I can think of that is closer in appearance to a guinea pig than a beaver is a capybara. I know this sounds like I just copied/pasted a paragraph from an online encyclopedia, but I didn’t. Like I said before, environmental studies are fascination to me and most of the information (of course, I did look some of it up) is stuff that I’ve picked up through my studies. I’m really happy with this animagus- it’s something I never really considered, but it fits me well. Thank you very much!