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Home > Blogs > Birds and Butterflies > Archives > 2012 > January > 18 > Entry
Animals Take Back the Waterways
We may find the water in ponds, rivers and lakes cold this time of year, but the American Beaver thinks the water is just right! Beavers are active all year long, although they may refrain from coming ashore during extremely cold temperatures. They do not hibernate, and they will store branches and logs underwater underneath their lodges (their home base) during the winter, as an underwater food source. Some of their favorites include poplar, maple, and cottonwood. Although, humans and beavers aren’t always on the same page, as far as which trees are “okay” to fell and eat, and which ones should be left alone. This misunderstanding can sometimes lead to negative feelings towards beavers.
It should be known, that beavers were here first, and have relatives that date back to the ice ages! The beaver we see today is the same that Hopewell Indians used for fur and food. European settlers used beaver pelts as money during the 1600s and fur trapping was a very competitive industry. However, the American beaver was extirpated from Ohio by 1830, and in the entire Midwest there were few pockets of the species left. They didn’t return to Ohio until 1936 and have made an excellent recovery. In 2007, there were an estimated 27,204 beavers in Ohio.
While catching a peak at a beaver swimming around, moving logs with their teeth, or working to fell a tree is still difficult, it is easy to tell that beavers are active in our area. You can see beaver damage along the Mad River at Eastwood MetroPark along the Buckeye &North Country Trails, and along the Stillwater River at Englewood MetroPark along the green trail. There is more damage surrounding the City of Dayton’s Jay Lake, which is next to the Stillwater River behind Wegerzyn MetroPark. Possum Creek also has visible beaver damage and beaver lodges around Argonne Lake.
While it can be frustrating if a beaver fells a tree you wanted to remain, remember that everything in nature is part of the ecosystem and in that respect, it is fair game. To deter a beaver from felling trees, you can also put chicken wire or something similar around the base of the tree, making sure it covers the bottom 3-4 feet of the tree. It’s remarkable how beavers, like us, can modify the environment so drastically; few other animals can do anything like it! Come out and see what these amazing creatures are capable of!
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