Nature’s Comeback Story
story and photos by Dave Hall
In recent centuries, beavers have had a rough go of things. During the 1700s and 1800s beavers were trapped at an alarming rate to fill the demand for fashionable hats in Europe. Before European contact it is estimated that up to 200 million or more beavers roamed what is now the continental 48 states. In the end, when beavers became too sparce and difficult to find, numbers dwindled to about 100,000 animals; by the early 1900s, beavers were nearly extinct, being absent from much of their former range. Today, beavers are back with current estimates putting beaver populations somewhere between 10 to 15 million. I am sitting on a small bench on the edge of our modest pond about an hour before dusk. The leaves have long since fallen and a slight breeze stirs the water. As I sit quietly, I notice the water roll a bit near the far edge. Moments later, a large beaver surfaces just 5 feet from my position. I acknowledge my aquatic friend. Her name is Apple.
Apple is a large female beaver, the matriarch of the colony. I’m going into my third year of knowing this beautiful animal. She and her partner, Amik, showed up to our once sad little farm pond as yearlings. At that time, late April, Apple and Amik were just about 20 pounds, indicating that they weren’t even a year old. Typically, beaver kits don’t strike out on their own until they are close to two years of age. It wasn’t normal that such modest sized beavers should be away from their home pond, but something catastrophic likely forced them away.
Apple came to trust me and accepted my nightly visits. This trust took time to develop, and our friendship is a unique one. She accepts me and seems grateful for the aspen and willow branches that regularly appear at the edge of her watery home.
Right now, Apple and her family have been busy getting ready for the winter. Beavers don’t hibernate; as aquatically based animals, this presents an interesting challenge in places where wetlands can freeze. There are several things that they do to deal with the potential of being trapped under the ice. One strategy is to give their lodges a fresh coat of mud plaster. An air vent is left open at the top. Second, in the fall they start securing branches and sticks in the bottom of the pond. If the pond freezes over, they can swim out of their lodge – which is only accessible from two underwater entrances – chew off a section of wood and bring it back to the lodge for a meal. Beavers eat the bark of many species of trees. Finally, beavers act as furry little ice breakers. If ice forms and it’s not too thick, they will spend time breaking ice which helps prolong the time that they have open water. This is an incredibly cute and amazing behavior to witness, as they lift the front part of their bodies onto the ice and press down with their paws.
Since those first days, Apple and Amik have greatly benefited our property by creating an expansive wetland and wonderful edge habitat that benefits all living things. They have become parents to two litters of kits. They have dealt, without complaint, with injury, the stresses of parenthood and the loss of several little ones due to predation.
My interest in beavers has become an obsession. Beyond my almost daily visits, it has led me to read and watch everything I can about this most important of mammal species. Through my regular visits I have learned about social structure, beaver language and their many voices, survival strategies, grooming habits and more. Beavers are sweet animals that get along within the colony. Disputes are always minor and settled with vocalizations, posturing and sometimes by shoving impolite kits underwater. Confrontations within family groups never result in injury.
Beavers can be quite vocal. Two of the most common sounds that I encounter are mewing and hissing. Mewing is a general sound that usually is associated with an elevated emotion. For example, it can be used in moments of excitement or worry. (i.e. “I’m concerned that you are too close while I’m working on this stick, and I don’t like it.”) Hissing is a common vocalization that says, “Please get out of my personal space.” As most people know, they can and will loudly slap their tail against the water. This behavior is not done to warn other beavers that a threat is nearby (although everyone certainly pays attention), but as an attempt to drive off a perceived danger.
Problems can arise when the agendas or needs of people are affected negatively by the actions of beavers. I certainly can empathize with someone whose basement is flooding, whose driveway is underwater or whose livelihood is suddenly at risk due to the actions of beavers. Fortunately, there are solutions by which simple engineering can be utilized. Mike Callahan of Beaver Solutions based in South Hampton, Massachusetts, has mastered the art of “Beaver Deceivers.” This variety of devices and procedures often allows for the peaceful coexistence of people and beavers. Callahan graciously shares his techniques online.
We should give beavers as much room as we can afford. Beavers aren’t just a keystone species; they are the keystone species. When beavers are present, everything else does better. They raise the water table, decrease sedimentation and ultimately create habitat. Under the guidance of Dr. John Stella from the School of Environmental Science and Forestry, student studies discovered that beaver-affected ecosystems in the Adirondacks raised plant variety by 33 percent. Similar studies across the nation demonstrate positive diversity and increased numbers when it comes to amphibians, birds, fish and mammals. Modern society will hopefully continue to find ways to coexist with the beaver. This will guarantee their rightful place in our ever-changing world.
Dave Hall is the founder of Primitive Pursuits, a youth-focused nature awareness program offered in partnership with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County. Hall is the author of The Naturalist’s Companion – A Field Guide to Observing and Understanding Wildlife. He is also co-author of Winter in the Wilderness: A Field Guide to Primitive Survival Skills and lives in Central New York with his family and two dogs.
