What Do Beavers Eat?

Beavers are herbivores that primarily feed on the bark, leaves, twigs and roots of deciduous trees and shrubs. They favour species such as willow, aspen, birch and alder. In addition to woody plants, beavers consume aquatic vegetation including water lilies and pondweed to meet their nutritional needs.

Introducing the Beaver
Beavers belong to the family Castoridae and are large, semi-aquatic rodents native to North America and parts of Europe and Asia. Known for their impressive dam-building skills, beavers create wetlands that support diverse ecosystems. Their feeding habits are closely linked to their habitat engineering, as they select trees and plants that provide both food and building material.

Diet in the Wild
Beavers primarily consume the inner bark (cambium) of trees, which is rich in nutrients. During the growing season, they eat leaves, twigs, buds and herbaceous plants. Aquatic plants like cattails, water lilies and pondweed supplement their diet, especially in summer.

In autumn, beavers prepare for winter by felling trees and storing branches underwater near their lodges to ensure food supply when the surface is frozen. Their ability to digest cellulose allows them to thrive on tough plant material.

Feeding Behaviour and Adaptations
Beavers have strong, ever-growing incisors that enable them to gnaw through wood efficiently. They use their dexterous front paws to handle branches and food. Beavers feed mostly at night, staying close to water for safety.

Their large, complex stomachs house bacteria that help ferment and break down fibrous plant material, extracting essential nutrients.

Ecological Role and Importance
Beavers are ecosystem engineers, with their feeding and dam-building creating wetlands that support biodiversity, regulate water flow and improve water quality. Their feeding impacts forest composition and succession.

Interesting Beaver Facts
Beavers can fell large trees within minutes using their powerful teeth. They mark territory with scent glands and communicate with tail slaps on water. Their dams can last for years, creating valuable habitats.

Common Questions About Beaver Diet
People often ask if beavers eat fish; they do not eat meat. Questions about damage to trees arise frequently; while beaver feeding can impact forests, it also creates new habitat.

Conclusion
Beavers are specialised herbivores feeding on tree bark, woody plants and aquatic vegetation. Their diet supports their unique ecological role and engineering behaviour. Conserving beaver habitats ensures continued benefits to wetland ecosystems and biodiversity.