Please don’t misunderstand us. Beavers are very cute and have appeared in multiple roles in children’s movies and cartoons for decades. But there is a little more to them.
What are beavers?
Check out these fun facts:
- Beavers are the second largest rodent, some weighing up to 40 pounds.
- They are nocturnal and extremely active, hence the term, busy as a beaver.
- They are herbivores and love to dine on leaves, bark, twigs, roots, and aquatic plants.
- Can they swim? You bet and blessed with webbed feet can get up to 5 mph!
- They can hold their breathe for 10-15 minutes.
- Did you know beavers teeth never stop growing? These strong teeth help in chewing down large trees and brush needed to build their home or lodge. Their teeth never stop growing.
- Beavers are known to mate for life during their third year. As such, both parents care for and raise the kits that are born in the spring. The kits stay with their parents for about two years.
- Once sought after for their soft fir, beavers are currently considered a stable species and not over hunted.
According to National Geographic:
Beavers are famously busy, and they turn their talents to re-engineering the landscape as few other animals can. When sites are available, beavers burrow in the banks of rivers and lakes. But they also transform less suitable habitats by building dams. Felling and gnawing trees with their strong teeth and powerful jaws, they create massive log, branch, and mud structures to block streams and turn fields and forests into the large ponds that beavers love. Read More
How are beavers harmful to my home and property?
Living in most American cities and towns, you will most likely not encounter a beaver. That being said, if you live on or near a property with a large pond you are more likely to experience a beaver. Homes located near a body of water such as streams, rivers, and lakes, present a stronger chance for damage caused by beavers. Most of all, beavers love wetlands.
Voracious in their need and drive to build, beavers can chew down large trees posing a risk to structures and people. They forage on bushes, scrubs, and vegetation. The clearing or trees, and associated vegetation can create the perfect flow of water resulting in flooding both in and around your home or structure. Misdirected water flow upsets the natural environment and can be very difficult to correct.
Damage from beavers.
How do I remove beavers from my property?
Permits are required for the removal of beavers, their dams, or lodges. We can only render beaver service if the DEC has issued a permit to break the dam and trap. (see below)
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC) has issued General Permit GP-0-16-004 (PDF) (27 KB) – Breaching or Removal of Beaver Dams No More Than 2 Years Old.This permit is only valid when issued concurrently with an Environmental Conservation Law Article 11-0521 Nuisance Beaver Permit, which will specify authorization to breach or remove the beaver dam. This permit expires concurrently with the Nuisance Beaver Permit.Read more
If you are unsure how to proceed, please contact us and we would be happy to assist you and inspect the property.
