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American beaver Castor canadensis
American beaver Castor canadensis
American beaver Castor Canadensis
Habitat American beaver Castor Canadensis
Management Practices
Beavers are mainly active at night.
They are excellent swimmers and may
remain submerged for up to 15 minutes.
More vulnerable on land, they tend to re-
main in the water as much as possible.
They use their flat, scaly tail both to sig-
nal danger by slapping the surface of the
water and as a location for fat storage. It
also serves as a rudder for these fast
swimmers.
American beaver Castor canadensis
The most distinct characteristic of beaver scat is
where you find it. It is small, cylindrical scat,
about 1.5- to 2.5-inches long.
Beaver droppings are usually deposited in the
water or underground in one of their elaborate
burrows Chances of seeing beaver scat on dry
land are slim.
Visible beaver droppings are usually dry. Touch
the scat with a stick and try to break it apart. If
the scat turns out to have a sawdust-like appear-
ance and texture then it is likely to be beaver
American beaver Castor canadensis
Fun Fact! As the national animal of Canada , a beaver was depicted on the first Canadian postage stamp, the Three Penny Beaver.
They are found in various wetlands that have perma-
nent water with a variety of shrubs and trees adjacent
to the water.
Beavers are responsible for creating habitat for many
species of birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish,
and invertebrates. Without beavers, the distribution
and abundance of many freshwater wetland-
associated species would decline dramatically.
American beaver Castor canadensis
Habitat requirements Diet: primarily bark from shrubs and trees; also
some forbs and grasses
Water: prefer slow-moving or still water at least 5
feet deep (to allow movement under water
Cover: bottomland riparian areas that can be
dammed to provide still water with sufficient
depth
Control Nonnative Invasive Vegetation: when nonnative
invasive vegetation begins to reduce habitat quality for
American beaver
Livestock Management: should prevent livestock access
to riparian areas & other wetlands where beaver is a focal
species
Plant Shrubs: where beavers are desired, but not present,
deciduous shrubs may be planted along riparian areas
where there are few trees or shrubs
Plant Trees: where beavers are desired but not present,
deciduous trees may be planted along riparian areas
where there are few trees or shrubs
Water Control Structures: a Clemson Beaver Pond Lev-
eler can be installed in beaver dams to maintain water
levels
Decrease Harvest: may be necessary where an increased
beaver population is desired and trapping pressure has
limited growth
Increase Harvest: where populations can sustain addi-
tional trapping pressure for recreation and/or where popu-
lations need to be lowered
Wildlife Damage Management: should be implemented
where beavers are causing problems for landowners, such
as flooding timber, crops, roads, and other areas
Wildlife or Fish Survey: presence and extent of beaver
activity (dams, evidence of cutting shrubs and trees) is
used to estimate population trends over time