What do beavers do?

Beavers do not hibernate. They continue to eat and build throughout the winter. In the 16th century, the pope decreed that, due to the scaly tail and semi-aquatic lifestyle, beaver could be considered a fish and be eaten during Catholic fasting days, according to ADW. read more

Still, adults do the majority of the work and young beavers help their parents for reasons based on natural selection rather than kin selection. read more

Beavers living on water bodies that maintain a constant level (e.g., lakes, large rivers) do not build dams. Dams are constructed and maintained with whatever materials are available—wood, stones, mud, and plant parts. read more

Basically beavers are herbivores and they like to eat cottonwood, willow, birch maple, quaking aspen, alder, and cherry trees. Beavers are also known to feed on water lilies, sedges, and pondweed. Beavers do not hibernate, but store sticks and logs in a pile in their ponds, eating the underbark. read more