The Baltic region has produced over 100,000 tons of amber. It is often mistakenly referred to as the sap of the tree, but is actually derived from the fossilized plant resins of certain conifer trees. The Amber Road was an ancient Roman trade route used for delivering the highly prized amber from the Baltic coast to Rome.
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Castor fiber - The European beaver is well adapted to its aquatic lifestyle. The beaver can close its nose and ears to prevent water from entering and has a nictitating membrane, an inner eyelid to protect the eyes when underwater. There is also an inner lip directly behind the teeth to allow the beaver to use its teeth without water entering the mouth when gnawing on wood while submerged. The beaver will rub a protective oil into its fur when grooming itself. This musky oil is secreted from the castor gland and provides a waterproof coating.
