{"id":9485,"date":"2021-09-13T09:31:33","date_gmt":"2021-09-13T09:31:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/?p=9485"},"modified":"2021-09-18T21:08:43","modified_gmt":"2021-09-18T21:08:43","slug":"how-do-beaver-dams-affect-the-environment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/how-do-beaver-dams-affect-the-environment\/","title":{"rendered":"How Do Beaver Dams Affect The Environment?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Beavers<\/a> are known for the dams they create, but you may not know that these dams have a significant impact on the land and wildlife around them. So, how do beaver dams affect the environment? Do they create positive or negative impacts? And how would things change if beavers were to go extinct? In this article, we\u2019ll answer all of these questions.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why Do Beavers Build Dams?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Why<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

You may think that beavers build dams for homes, and you would be partially correct. Beaver dams do play a large role in a beaver\u2019s home environment, but not in the way you might expect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beavers don\u2019t actually live in the dams they build; instead, they build them to create ponds of deeper water.<\/strong> Then, they build a lodge in the center of the water, where predators have a much harder time reaching them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beavers live in these lodges. The lodges have their foundation on the pond floor and extend several levels upward, eventually appearing above the water level. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like beaver dams, the lodges are built of logs, rocks, and other natural materials. Beavers create underwater tunnels leading to and from their dams and lodges; these tunnels give them the best chance of escaping in cases of danger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, are the dams just there to hold the water in place? Do they have any other purposes?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beavers typically create hollows and passages inside their dams, so they are able to come and go as they please. Sometimes they will use their dams to hide from predators such as bears, wolves, and river otters. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes, beavers will also use their dams as places of temporary shelter from sudden storms. During the summer and fall, they will hide stashes of food inside the dam, preparing for possible food shortages during the winter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Check out the following video to learn more about why beavers build dams. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=OMdYIvbyGd4<\/a>