Top 10 facts about Beavers

1. Beavers are large semi-aquatic rodents

Beavers are around 70-100cm long with a tail of 30-40cm. They have stocky bodies, short legs with webbed toes and flat hairless tails. Their coat is thick and brown with a short, waterproof under coat. Eurasian beavers weigh between 18-30kg.

2. Over 85% of Eurasian Beavers live in Europe

Beavers were once widespread across Europe and Asia. They could be found from the UK to eastern Siberia. Now, over 85% of Eurasian beavers are found in Europe.

Beavers usually live in freshwater habitats surrounded by woodland, but they may be found in agricultural land or even built up areas. In England, they can be found on the River Otter in Devon, the Tamar, the Kent Stour, the Wye on the Welsh border and the Somerset levels.

3. They have gnarly gnawing gnashers

Beavers have distinctive orange teeth due to iron in their enamel which makes their teeth strong enough to gnaw through wood.

4. They are super swimmers

Beavers can swim at speeds of up to five miles per hour. That is more than double the speed of the average human.

5. …And divers

Beavers can hold their breath for up to 15 minutes underwater. They also have a transparent third eyelid which protects their eyes when swimming underwater.

6. A Beaver’s favourite food is aspen and willow

Beavers feed entirely on plants, usually eating vegetation, aquatic plants and tree bark. During the breeding season, beavers supplement their diet with grasses, forbs, tubers and aquatic plants. They stash away food in the autumn to see them through the winter.

7. They can be a bit misunderstood

Beavers impact the land around them through activities such as damming small waterways, burrowing and felling trees. This can directly impact people, including farmers and foresters, which can lead to persecution of beavers if this conflict is not managed effectively.

In Scotland in 2021, 87 beavers were legally shot, 33 were trapped and relocated, and 47 beaver dams were removed.

8. The benefits of Beavers can outweigh the costs

Because beavers help control the flow of water, they can support the restoration of waterways which is needed to respond to climate change and mitigate extreme weather events, such as flooding. In addition, beavers can bring wildlife tourism into the area, benefiting the local community and economy. In the UK, a village near the River Otter with properties at risk of flooding, has seen a reduction in the peak flow of water as a result of beaver dams.

The River Otter beaver population has also delivered significant ecological benefits including new wetland habitat and increases in fish, particularly trout. A study here shows that the ecosystem services and social benefits beavers bring are greater than the financial costs they incur.

9. Beavers are classified as endangered in Great Britain

The Eurasian beaver's historic decline was caused by over-hunting for their fur, meat and castoreum, a scent secretion used in perfume, combined with loss and degradation of their wetland habitat.

10. …But they are making a comeback!

It's estimated that wild beaver numbers have more than tripled since 1998. Beaver populations are now rapidly expanding across Europe, mainly due to hunting bans and reintroduction programmes.