The straight answer is no. Beavers do not eat fish. They are herbivores, but their diet is not entirely eating leaves. But it does not include fish or any meat.
How Does This Myth Started?
When people see a Beaver near ponds, it makes people believe that Beavers eat fish. Several mammals, like River Otters, who live near water bodies, eat fish but Beavers don’t.
What Do Beavers Actually Eat?
Scientists, after studying Beavers’ Teeth and feces, declared that Beavers don’t eat fish. Beavers primarily eat leaves and twigs that grow on the shores of ponds or lakes.
Beavers living near ponds eat a higher number of aquatic plants in winter. When they are found near streams, you’ll find them leaving shrubs.
Do Beavers Eat Wood?
Yes, Beavers love to eat wood. But they didn’t eat the whole wood they tore off. However, they usually eat the bark of the trees and not the main wood part.
Tree bark is more nutritious than the whole wood itself. Beavers prefer woody stems instead of wooden chips.
What Are Some More Myths Associated With Beavers?
Don’t rely on every information. Learn what is true or what is not from my myth busters below.
Beavers Are Big
Yes, Beavers are actually quite big. A normal Beaver weighs around 70 pounds.
Beavers Live In Dam
No, they do not live in dams. People who have experienced wildlife have seen beavers building a solid structure. But they confuse the structure with dams.
The structure they build near ponds is for travel and food storage, and they use it for protection from predators. Another structure looks like the lodge, which is the area where they live and sleep.
Beavers Do Not Reproduce Quickly
Beavers mate for the first time after they turn three. Their population is not huge enough as they only have 2-6 babies, called Kits. The Beaver fur trade has increased massively in recent years, and the population has already decreased.
Beavers And Giardia
Giardia is caused by a parasite named Beaver Fever, but there is no connection. In fact, Beavers are not even the original source. Mammals like dogs, bears, and livestock spread it widely.
Beavers Are Barrier For Fish Migration
No, this is completely false. Beavers do not eat fish, and I have proved it above. Now, it is believed that the Beavers dams stop fish migration; that’s also not true.
Beavers Know Where’s The Tree Going To Fall
No, this is not true. Beavers scratch wood to find branches. Constant scratching creates a hinge. Many people believe that at this point, Beavers learn that the tree is about to fall and run away.
Beavers do run when they feel danger, but it is observed that sometimes, it is not in the right direction. The tree falls above them. This proves that Beavers take a wild guess and run when they feel danger.
Beavers Carry Mud With Tails
Beaver tails look like a good tool to carry and remove mud, but they don’t use it for this purpose. They use their tails for swimming, fat storage, communication, and temperature regulation.
Conclusion
I am sure the information provided will help clear up any confusion about Beavers’ eating habits. Yes, Beavers love to eat aquatic vegetation, but marine animals are safe from them.
