All About Beavers UK - Eurasian Beaver Facts & Information

In the UK, Beavers are a native species, however, they are not spotted as often as around 500 years ago they were hunted to extinction.

Recent conservation projects have seen them come back into the British Wildlife.

Wild Beavers Appearance

The Beaver is a semi aquatic rodent. They have thick, waterproof and brown fur that helps them stay warm in the water. Their broad, flat and scaly tail is used for swimming, balance and to spread warning signals. They also have huge orange teeth that they use to gnaw at tree bark with.

To create ponds, adult Beavers construct dams from branches and mud, this also helps with protection from predators. Beavers live in family units with a monogamous pair and young beavers. Beaver activity is most likely to occur at night, as they are nocturnal creatures.

Beavers are a keystone species in the UK, playing a vital role in the ecosystem (as ecosystem engineers) and their dam building helps to create biodiversity and help with flood management.

UK Beaver Populations

Efforts to protect Beavers have led to the establishment of fenced enclosures for their protection and to manage Beaver reintroduction. These enclosures, like the three-hectare fenced enclosure in Spains Hall Estate, ensure that Beavers have enough space to build Beaver dams and live safely while monitoring their impact on the environment.

Organisations like the Beaver Trust, Devon Wildlife Trust, Kent Wildlife Trust, and Cumbria Wildlife Trust play a vital role in the ongoing protection and study of beavers. Legal protection has been granted to Beavers in the UK, ensuring that they are safeguarded from hunting and allowed to flourish as they continue to help regenerate their habitats, aund in many areas, they have been successfully reintroduced.

Habitat

Beavers are found in freshwater environments and wetland habitats such as rivers, lakes, ponds, and wetlands. They are expert engineers and modify their surroundings to suit their needs.

Beavers create deep, still water that protects them from predators and provides a safe environment for their lodges.

These dams are made from trees, branches, mud, and rocks. They typically build their lodges in the middle of the water to keep their entrances underwater and hidden from any threats.

Beaver Diet

Beavers are herbivores, which means their diet consists entirely of plant matter. They primarily feed on the bark of trees such as willow, aspen, birch, and poplar, which provide both food and building material for their dams and lodges. Beavers also consume twigs and branches, especially in winter when fresh vegetation is scarce. Additionally, they eat a variety of aquatic plants, including water lilies and sedges that grow along the water's edge.

To access their food, Beavers use their powerful teeth to fell trees, stripping the bark and consuming the softer inner wood. Their teeth grow continuously, so they must chew on wood to keep them trimmed. Beavers also store branches and twigs underwater near their lodges, ensuring they have access to food even when the water is frozen in winter.

Beaver Breeding Season

Beavers are monogamous and usually form lifelong bonds with a single mate. The breeding season typically occurs in late winter or early spring. After a gestation period of about 105 days, the female gives birth to a litter of 1 to 4 kits.

Beaver kits are born blind and helpless, but they grow rapidly and can start swimming and foraging by the time they are a few weeks old. Both parents care for the young Beavers, and the father helps by maintaining the dam and lodge, ensuring a safe environment for the family.

Beavers live in family units consisting of two adult Beavers and their young kits. The kits stay with their parents for up to two years before becoming independent. During this time, they learn essential skills, such as building and maintaining dams, and help the family with construction. Once they are mature enough, they leave the family group to establish their own territories.

Predators & Threats

While beavers are well-adapted to their environment, they still face threats from several natural predators.

River otters are another potential predator for young beavers. Though otters typically target beaver kits or attempt to steal food from their lodges, they may also compete with beavers for resources.

Beavers use their strong, flat tails to slap the water as a warning sign when danger is near, alerting other members of their family. The lodges and dams they build offer protection, with underwater entrances that are difficult for predators to access.

Five Facts about Beavers

1. Beavers are known as “nature’s engineers” because of their incredible ability to build complex dams and lodges. These structures can be massive—some dams are over 100 meters long and visible from space! The ponds they create help to regulate water flow and create habitats for other wildlife.

2. A Beaver's teeth grow continuously throughout its life, and they are kept sharp by chewing on wood. Their orange teeth are coated in iron, which helps prevent them from wearing down too quickly, making them some of the most powerful teeth in the animal kingdom.

3. Beavers can stay underwater for up to 15 minutes without coming up for air. They use their webbed feet to swim efficiently and their flat, scaly tail as a rudder to steer, all while building their dams and lodges below the surface.

4. Despite living in aquatic environments, Beavers are strictly herbivores. They do not eat fish; instead, their diet consists mainly of tree bark, twigs, and aquatic plants like water lilies.

5. Beavers are monogamous, meaning they mate for life. They live in small family groups, with both the mother and father helping to care for their kits. The young Beavers stay with their parents for up to two years before venturing off to create their own homes.