The American beaver (Castor canadensis) is one of nature’s most productive animals. What makes them so remarkable is their ability to build dams. These big barriers are made out of wood, rocks, and mud, and help the beavers stop water from flowing downstream. Because of these dams, the water in these lakes and streams have nowhere to go. So, they turn into ponds, slowly getting deeper and deeper as water coming from upstream is blocked by the dams. It is similar to when the drain in the sink is covered, and the water coming from the faucet slowly fills the sink instead of going down the drain. Eventually, the water has filled to the point where the beavers are able to build structures called lodges. Beaver lodges are little homes, constructed in the middle of these ponds, that allow them to stay away from predators, stay warm, and keep them protected against weather conditions. But these lodges are not just beneficial to the beavers. As it turns out, many different animal species use them as apartments. These animals include frogs, birds, rodents, and even snakes! Whether it be for shelter, mating, or laying eggs, these animals will take full advantage of the lodge while the beavers are away. Because of how versatile these lodges are for such a vast number of species, they have been recognized as a major contributor to the diversity in their environments.
Researchers in Nebraska wanted to see just how beneficial they were, so they set up a camera and waited. For roughly a year, they took pictures in ten minute intervals to see the types of visitors, and when they would appear. In the end, they noticed a large number of different animals using the ledge for shelter and to find resources. Some of which included raccoons, birds, and lizards. The most common tenants were the various bird species, like owls, songbirds, and herons, who mostly used the outside of the lodges to look for food and perch. They also captured images of turtles and turtles, who were mostly seen in the summer and spring. In the end, they concluded that the beaver lodges really are great for the environment, and promote an explosive diversity of creatures around the area they are built. Hopefully, we can learn to be more like the beavers, and make buildings that are good for us and the natural world around us.
Works Cited
Tye, Simon P., et al. “One House Is a Home for Many: Temporal Partitioning of Vertebrates on an American Beaver Lodge.” BioOne Complete, University of Notre Dame, bioone.org/journals/the-american-midland-naturalist/volume-185/issue-2/0003-0031-185.2.229/One-House-is-a-Home-for-Many–Temporal-Partitioning/10.1674/0003-0031-185.2.229.full.
