Interesting Wildlife Facts About Beavers
- Beavers are the largest rodents in North America, second only to capybaras, the largest rodents in the world.
- They can weigh up to 60 pounds and are excellent swimmers with webbed hind feet and a thick, water-resistant coat.
- Beavers are herbivores, primarily feeding on the bark, leaves, and wood of softwood trees like willow, aspen, and cottonwood, along with some aquatic plants.
- Beavers build impressive dams and lodges using wood, branches, mud, and rocks, primarily to create a water body that provides safety from predators, with access to food being a secondary benefit.
- Beavers play a critical ecological role by creating wetlands that improve water quality, reduce flooding, and provide habitats for various wildlife.
Nuisance Issues with Beavers
- Property Damage: Beavers chew through tree trunks and branches, leading to deforestation and damage to ornamental trees.
- Flooding: Beaver dams can obstruct water flow, causing flooding in agricultural land, roads, and residential areas.
- Structural Damage: Dams near bridges, culverts, or water pipes can damage infrastructure due to water buildup or the weight of the dam.
- Agricultural Impact: Beaver-induced flooding can disrupt farming activities, making crops difficult to grow in waterlogged soil.
Beaver Behavior
- Engineering Skills: Beavers are skilled engineers, felling trees and creating elaborate dams and lodges to protect their families.
- Social Creatures: Beavers live in family units, collaborating on dam-building and maintaining their lodges.
- Nighttime Activity: They are nocturnal, foraging for food and reinforcing their structures primarily at night.
- Seasonal Activity: Beavers are active year-round but work especially hard in the fall to build food caches for the winter.
Beavers and Diseases
- Giardia: Beavers can potentially carry the Giardia parasite, but contamination risks are more directly tied to water sources contaminated by feces from various wildlife, including pets and livestock.
Where in the US Are Beavers Found?
- Geographic Distribution: Beavers are found across most of North America, but are absent from arid regions like the southwestern U.S., where freshwater sources are scarce.
- Preferred Habitats: They thrive in wetlands, rivers, and streams, often in forested areas with abundant trees.
- Habitat Adaptability: Beavers are adaptable and can live in both rural and urban areas as long as water and trees are available.
Protecting Your Property from Beavers
To protect your property from beaver-related damage, consider installing fencing with a mesh size smaller than 6 inches around vulnerable trees to prevent them from being chewed on. If beavers are building dams that cause flooding, you may need to consult with a professional wildlife control service to safely remove or relocate the animals and address the damage to your property.
For properties near rivers and streams, installing beaver deterrents such as wire mesh around trees or creating artificial flow channels to redirect water away from sensitive areas can help mitigate potential issues. If beaver activity becomes persistent, a professional wildlife removal service with expertise in managing aquatic wildlife can provide safe and humane solutions to prevent further damage.