Yesterday a reporter from Pennsylvania emailed me urban beaver questions so I assume whatever he’s working on is on its way. Why are all these beaver showing up in cities anyway? Today there’s a link to a beaver quiz on Ontario’s park blog website that I thought you’d enjoy. it’s mostly accurate although the ecology section at the end is pretty weak tea if you ask me.
The beaver in winter
Pop quiz: do beavers hibernate? Today’s post — from Natural Heritage Education Specialist Dave Sproule — answers common questions about beavers.
Beavers are active throughout the colder seasons – no long winter’s nap for them!
In summer, we often see signs of the beaver, such as gnawed trees or bark-bare sticks floating in the water, known as “beaver chew.” More obvious evidence is the beaver dam, found along streams and at the edges of ponds, wetlands and 
lakes.
In winter, the signs become trickier to spot because of the snow and frozen lakes and ponds, but some beavers still have a need to chew.
Yes yes beavers need to eat even when it’s cold. Isn’t that amazing? Just because their names share some letters they’re not like bears.
3. Isn’t the water too cold?
No, beavers are well-adapted to their environment, including a waterproof coat. A layer of coarse hairs guard the surface, while underneath, a thick layer of fine hairs have tiny hooks on them that mesh together tightly to keep water out.
This coat gets much thicker in winter, and in colder climates. The further north a beaver lives, the thicker its fur.
Yes, that’s why we used to only kill them in the winter, Timmy, because their dense fur was more valuable. For 200 hears It supported some of Canada’s biggest industries. Things are very different now. Don’t worry.
Now we kill them all year long.
4. Where do they live?
Beavers live in a lodge, a structure made from mud, sticks and logs, with an underwater entrance. Lodges are often built in the middle of shallow ponds, but can be found along riverbanks and lakeshores where the water is too deep to be away from shore.
They choose a good location, usually not too close to shore, so wolves can’t dig through the top of the lodge. In winter, the mud, sticks and logs freeze together, so digging through is difficult for predators.
The water should be deep enough to support the lodge, but shallow enough that the wood
pile breaks the surface of the water.
Once the wood is piled, the beavers chew an entrance from underwater into the dry part of the wood pile, making a chamber.
I’ve always liked the idea of beavers piling the sticks and chewing their way out, but since there’s actual footage of beavers walking up onto the lodge and dropping sticks on it, it can’t be the complete explanation. Maybe they chew/dig some and carry to reinforce?
6. Why are beavers important to the ecology of the forest and waterways?
Beavers can change landscapes with their dam-building, one of the few animals able to alter their own environment.
By changing water courses, flooding forests and creating wetlands, beavers create diverse habitats that benefit many plants and animals. For instance, increasing the water’s edge provides habitat for a variety of birds, plants and insects.
In winter, a beaver pond may shelter frogs and turtles in its muddy bottom, as well as dragonfly larvae, and brook trout. Beaver lodges have even been known to become homes for muskrat, living in their own private “apartment” (but, of course, not paying rent!).
That’s it? Beavers change the water course? Bulldozers change the watercourse. . No mention of shifting mud, increasing invertebrates, or filtering toxins? No mention of more fish eating those more bugs and more wildlife and birds eating those ‘more’ fish. Sheesh. I expect more from a park ranger.
So next time you pass a frozen wetland or pond, keep your eyes peeled for gnawed trees or rising steam, and tip your toque to one of Ontario’s coolest creatures!
Which leaves me with just two questions. Why don’t education specialist park rangers,responsible for protecting and interpreting the land for the public, know more about beaver benefits and just what the hell is toque?
