OkcPets Magazine January 2024

26 OKC Pets • January / February 2024 LEAVE IT TO Beavers Nature’s Engineers Benefit Humans Too by Inger Giuffrida, executive director, WildCare Oklahoma B efore beavers were hunted to the brink of extinction for their fur, the North American beaver population was estimated to be 400 million. Extirpat- ed from most states, including Oklahoma, by the early 1900s, beavers have been reintroduced into many areas. Today, the North American beaver population — estimated at nine million to 12 million — is a small fraction of the numbers that existed on the continent before the careless overhunting of European settlers. But the return of the beaver to many areas, in- cluding Oklahoma — which reintroduced beavers in 1950 — has not come without controversy. To understand the situation that faces beavers in Oklahoma and beyond, it’s important to understand exactly what a beaver is and the effects this special animal has on its environment. What Is a Beaver? Beavers are the largest rodents in North America. An adult can weigh as much as 65 pounds. The two most notable physical characteristics of beavers are their big, flat tails and large front teeth. Their incisors are orange tinged because of the iron- rich enamel that coats them. That makes beavers’ teeth extra hard, allowing them to chew through trees. The tail helps to propel the animal gracefully through water, but it is also used in communicating with other beavers by slapping the tail in warning about po- tential danger. Beavers also use their flat, sturdy tails to help give them balance and leverage when gnawing on trees. Despite Snow does not deter this beaver from its daily activities at WildCare Oklahoma. Photo by Laura Kintz, WildCare Oklahoma.