Beavers and Beaver Dams - Benefits And Hazards
Beavers are large rodents that make their homes, in the form of dams, in waterways such as creeks, rivers, mountain streams,
ponds, and even along the shorelines of large lakes. Beavers are brilliant engineers designing and building dams that can become
very large in size - large enough to impact the environment and surroundings around them. At times,
beaver dams can be beneficial to the environment. For instance, beaver dams can sometimes help prevent
erosion and flooding, and the activities of beavers can
be a vital
component in maintaining the balance of delicate ecosystems such as wetland, mountain and forest environments.
However, at other times beaver activities and dams can become quite problematic, for example, beavers can
destroy valuable trees, and dams can cause water blockage, flooding or erosion in unwanted areas.
Understanding Beaver Wildlife
If you live in an area where
beaver control is
a necessary wildlife management tool, it will be important
for you to understand beaver behavior, as well as, what they can do to your surroundings, because this will
impact how you control both current and future beaver related issues.
Facts About Beavers: Beavers are nocturnal animals that feed on plants such as vegetables,
berries and tree bark. Beavers are not a fish,
reptile or amphibian, but rather they are a mammal. Just the same, beavers are built for life in the water -
their coats are warm and water repellent, their tails serve as a rudder and they
have large capacity lungs which allow them to hold their breath underwater for a very long time.
Beavers are built for another function too, that of dam builder. Their broad flat tail serves as a mud packing tool and
their large sharp teeth enable them to cut down trees, sculpt lumber, carry wood and build dams. Beavers build
dams mainly in an attempt to create a more optimal habitat in which to live. For instance, damming up a creek
may create a larger, deeper, calmer water source - in other words, an environment more to their liking.
Ironically, beavers are attracted to the sound of running water, perhaps because they enjoy building dams
that will stop it's flow. Beavers reside in homes they create called lodges. These are
large, rounded, mound like structures made up of sticks, logs, mud and leaves.
A beaver lodge like the one shown to the left in Denali National Park Alaska, is
usually part above and part below water with several entries and exits including underwater entrances.
Beaver tree preferences include fast-growing trees,
such as poplar, willow, cottonwood and alder located
close to the shoreline. Although the beaver handiwork and felling of
trees may appear destructive, such pruning can actually result in more, bushier
growth when spring arrives. For example, each cut willow stem
can lead to three to four new stems. If the beavers then use the branches for a dam that creates a wetland,
great benefits can result, such as erosion abatement, area flood control, water cleansing and beneficial biodiversity.
The North America beaver habitat stretches from southern Alaska, through Canada and even as far south
as Florida. Beavers were once hunted to dwindling numbers for their luxurious fur, but have since made a comeback in the last 50 years.
According to a very interesting Oklahoma State University
report on beavers, the beaver population in Oklahoma has increased
from a 1952 figure of 485 beavers limited to west central Oklahoma to thousands today, distributed throughout the state with
resident beavers in every county. Beavers in Oklahoma were most populous in south central and south eastern areas of the state.
All counties had some beaver activity issues such as flooding, dam problems, and tree & crop destruction.
When it comes to successful beaver control methods, fully understanding beaver
behavior including lodge creation, tree felling skills,
dam building practices, reproduction habits and the impact of beavers on the environment, is key to designing
beaver management techniques that are both effective and humane too.
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A detailed look at humane beaver control methods including products and techniques to protect trees,
environmental tree management and planting recommendations, repellent products with
reported success and helpful beaver habitat modifications. And again, a look at
why traditional beaver trapping methods are not an effective solution to beaver problems.
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