Beavers are one of the largest living rodents in the entire world. They are covered in thick fur, feet are webbed, and also have scale-covered tails. They are semi-aquatic species and can live in both water and land. They often change their environment where they live and have strong jaws and teeth through which they build their homes. Beavers are found in two species, The Eurasian Beaver and the North American Beaver.
Beavers are herbivorous in nature and feed upon foliage, root, barks, stems, twigs, etc. However, they themselves are the predators of many other animals.
Beaver Predators
1. Coyotes
Coyotes are the natives of Northern America and are similar but a little smaller in size than the grey wolf. They have a very strong smelling sense and also have a keen vision. They can run up to a speed of 40 miles an hour. During the fall and winter seasons, they roam around in a pack to do more efficient hunting. Coyotes are very versatile in the choice of their foods and are carnivorous in nature and around ninety percent of their diet includes meat consumption.
Coyotes are the main predators of the Beavers. Coyotes have majorly moved to northern parts of America because of the easy hunting of beavers as they are available there in abundance. Coyotes are known to take advantage of the beavers who leave their pond and come out in search of the food on land. During the winters, predation of the coyotes is much more hiked as the ponds get frozen and the beavers have to come out of it to stay in the lodges. Coyotes easily find their homes and hunt them to feed their stomachs.
2. Brown Bears
Brown bears are usually found in northern Eurasia and North America. They are often termed as the grizzly bears in North America. Ninety-five percent of the brown bear population in America stays in Alaska and Northern regions of the continent.
They are both herbivorous and carnivorous in nature and most of their diet consists of fruits, leaves, nuts, and berries. Brown bears are very powerful and are on top of the chain predators. They hunt down the animal by making the other animals fall on their back and then biting at the same time. They are known for the hunting of the beavers. Beavers being small in size have the advantage to save themselves from the brown bears. However, brown bears keep an eye on the beavers and the lodges where they are hiding. Once in a while, they get their hands on the beavers.
3. Red Foxes
Red Foxes are the mammals who belongs to the family of Canidae. They are widely distributed in large parts of Europe, Asia, Africa, and America. In the parts of Europe where no other such species is still living, these are known as the fox. The red foxes have a reddish-brown fur like they are rusted.
Like the coyotes, the red foxes are also predators of beavers. The beavers are smaller in size as compared to the foxes and can be easily hunted down by the foxes. So getting an easy prey for their survival, foxes always look for hunting down the beavers. They have an acute sense of hearing because of which they are easily able to find out the rodents nearby and hunt them down.
4. Hawks
There are various subspecies of hawks, but all are known, hunters. They are known for their intelligence and also great eyesight. They can also adapt their sight to view ultraviolet and polarized light and even magnetic fields. Besides, the females being larger than males is better hunters.
Hawks attacked by striking the beavers in an act of surprize from a concealed perch. Though beavers are safest when in their dwelling, hawks are known to kill beavers with their talons, once caught. In case this is insufficient hawks use their beaks to kill their prey, before enjoying their meal.
5. Wolves
Though North American beavers have a higher number of predators, Eurasian beavers fear the wolves the most. Also known as gray wolves, a glimpse of these mammals may suffice to put a beaver in despair.
Since beavers can’t match the fast pace of a wolf, it is a small and easy prey for wolves. Wolves are smart enough to injure an animal at the right body location which is enough to make them immobile if not dead. In fact, wolves attack beavers with a steep angled leap and immobilize them with their forepaws. If they chance upon the kits, they don’t mind mass killing and saving food for later.
6. Lynx
Lynx is the name given to four different species of wild cats, namely, Canada Lynx, Bobcat, Iberian Lynx, and Eurasian Lynx. gradually there are some differences in their looks and killing habits. Especially the Eurasian Lynx, which is the largest of them all is the third-largest predators after bears and grey wolves. Beavers being an easy snack.
Lynx attack beavers by stealth action and then immediately kill it by biting through the neck. Moreover, they mostly hunt at twilight when the beavers are mostly out of their ridges. Their vision helps them in detecting the prey and their distance immaculately, which helps them catch them without fail or just a little chase. Lynxes may eat their kill immediately or save for later by hiding it in snow.
So, these were some of the predators of beavers, which can easily bite through the thick fur of beavers. Eagles, mountain lions, and cougars are some other predators of weavers. At many places where people are disturbed by beaver menace, they try and introduce one of these safer predators to control the beaver population. And the herbivore beavers serve their part in the food chain.
I hope that this article on beaver predators was helpful. If you are interested, visit the Animal Facts Page!
