Beaver

Identification tips: The largest North American rodent, the Beaver is recognized by its broad, flat tail. It can weigh as much as 80 pounds. When it swims, it swims with just its head out of the water, unlike a Muskrat which carries its head and back out of the water. Beavers are much bigger than Muskrats.

Natural History: Beavers fell trees for food and construction materials. Here at the Lake, they typically don't build dams (no need - we did that for them!) and lodges. Their dens are located in the bank of the Lake or the banks of Walnut Creek. The entrances to those dens are located under water. Their tree-felling habit got them in trouble at the Lake before, and for awhile our community became “world famous” (article in Le Monde!) for the great battle against beavers. The City has surrounded most of the smaller trees near the Lake with fencing, which should prevent further damage. The beavers are rarely seen, however, signs of their presence can be noted from time to time, for example , chewed roots, trees or branches stripped of their bark.

The photo to the top right shows a beaver lodge in the Chautauqua National Wildlife Refuge, just down the Illinois River from us. Should beavers build such a lodge at the Lake, the most likely location for it would be in the wetland at the west end of the Lake.

Beavers have anywhere from 1 to 8 offspring, though the average is around 4. Beavers apparently mate for life. They feed on plant material, stripping bark from willow, cottonwood, maple and some other trees. They can chew down a sizeable tree in a few minutes. The photo at the lower right shows an oak stump which was all that was left from an oak tree chewed down by beavers. The beaver(s) that did this cut down the tree and hauled it all away in one night. The tree trunk was about 4 inches in diameter.

Beavers are primarily nocturnal, though they have been seen in the early morning and late evening at the Lake.

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