The North American Beaver, New York’s official mammal and the national animal of Canada, have lost 80-98% of their historical population. There used to be up to 400 million beavers in North America. In the 1500s they were hunted extensively for their thick fur to use in hats and clothes. By the end of the 19th century, these busy creatures were on the edge of extinction. Now there are 6-12 million beavers.
Today, beavers are threatened by habitat loss, environmental pollution, and conflicts with humans. Beaver can damage trees and their dams can cause flooding in developed areas.
But the beaver is an eco-engineer that helps create climate-resilient landscapes.
Since protecting Macyville Woods (Sodus Point) in 2019, we’ve seen signs of previous beaver activity but never the animals. In July, staff member Nick Angelone spotted a family swimming in the wetlands and took this video:
Beaver are active year round, and most likely seen early in the morning and at dusk. Listen for tail slaps on the water and look for the lodge near the wetlands viewing platform at Macyville Woods. In the winter, look for large holes in the ice on ponds that the beavers use to access the underwater entrance to their lodge. Approach carefully and stay hidden--beaver are shy. Be patient-it may take a long time before you finally see a beaver.
The environmental benefits of beavers:
In his book Eager: The Surprising, Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matter, Ben Goldfarb writes: “Beavers, the animal that doubles as an ecosystem, are ecological and hydrological Swiss Army knives, capable, in the right circumstances, of tackling just about any landscape-scale problem you might confront. Trying to mitigate floods or improve water quality? There’s a beaver for that. Hoping to capture more water for agriculture in the face of climate change? Add a beaver. Concerned about sedimentation, salmon populations, wildfire? Take two families of beaver and check back in a year.”
According to a PBS/Nature documentary:
Beaver ponds build up soil and nutrients and help prevent floods and droughts.
Beavers are key players in biodiversity. Many species reside in or depend on beaver-made ponds.
Beaver dams keep more water on the land and mitigate the effects of droughts in arid environments. While swimming, beavers also dig into the mud below the surface and slow the water evaporation process.
Beaver dams have the ability to replenish fresh water wetlands, which can become happy homes to many animals. A dramatic example is what happened to Nevada’s Suzie Creek, transformed by beavers from a desert to a veritable garden supporting wildlife such as sandhill cranes and mule deer. Beaver lodges often accept outside guests, particularly during chilly months.
Beaver dams and the ponds they create act as filters, generating cleaner water downstream.
