How do beavers survive winter

In the warm season, beavers cut branches from shoreline shrubs and felled trees. Beavers, being slow on land, like to fell trees so their leafy tops fall into the water, so the beaver is safe from predators like wolves. The higher water levels caused by dams also allow beavers to store their food underwater, making it last longer and keeping it safe under the ice. 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. In winter, a beaver pond may shelter frogs and turtles in its muddy bottom, as well as dragonfly larvae, and brook trout. Here are answers to some common beaver-themed questions: 1. Do beavers travel south? They stay put in their home pond, stream or lake, swimming under the ice. Do beavers hibernate? Where do they live?

Beavers are slow-moving out of water and can make a tasty meal for a wolf or bear! The beavers take advantage of this sluggish and encapsulated winter period to breed in late winter. This allows them to give birth and nurse when there is less work to do, and the young are weaned and ready to munch as spring arrives and they are able to leave the lodge and find green vegetation.

They can produce two to four offspring, depending on the year, and the young often stay with the parents for over a year which means there can be as many as eight beavers in a single colony sharing living space in that lodge all winter long.

The Masked Biologist earned a Bachelor of Science degree in wildlife biology. His work in natural resource agencies across the country provided opportunities to gain experience with a variety of common and rare fish, plant and wildlife species. Follow The Masked Biologist on Facebook. Email questions to MaskedBiologist charter.

You must be logged in to post a comment. Star Journal. Busy beavers plan ahead for long cold winter By StarJournal. Tags Masked Biologist Wild Connections. Next Article Viewpoint. Related articles More from author. Trees provide beauty and historical context in the natural world January 22, With plenty of stored food and the security of a strong dam , they can conserve their energy from late fall to early spring. Beaver dens are the key to their winter survival.

Though they rarely leave their lodges once the temperatures drop, beavers do not hibernate. However, they do prepare carefully for the colder months. Beavers gather vegetation to store in underwater caches, so they can eat without needing to forage throughout the winter. Beaver dens give these large rodents access to food sources and a quick escape from predators.