Are Beavers Dangerous? (2024)

FAQs

How dangerous are beavers? ›

Beavers are not dangerous if left alone. However, they will stand their ground and confront a threat. If trapped or cornered, a beaver will attack a human. The rodents' sharp teeth may cause serious injury as well as infection.

While beaver attacks on humans are rare, they aren't unheard of. In most cases the animal attacks to protect its young or its lodge, or—as in this case—because it's rabid. At least one fatal attack on a human by a beaver has been reported.

In general, beavers cause damage to human resources by 1) gnawing on trees or crops; 2) flooding trees, crops, property, or transportation corridors (roads, airports, railways) through dam building; and 3) degrading and destabilizing banks and levees through burrowing.

Unfortunately, they must be removed when they are close to homes because they can leave a trail of destruction if not taken care of in time. If you live close to a river or pond, they can cause a flood by creating their famous beaver dams.

Like any wild mammal, beavers face a range of mortality risks including direct predation and infectious diseases. Their main predators are the wolf and bears.

With their razor-sharp teeth and heavy front claws, beavers can become a serious threat to dogs.

When I asked Lihua Xiao, who is Chief of the Molecular Epidemiology Laboratory/WBDP of the Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases for the United States Centers for Disease Control, for his opinion about swimming with beavers, he said flatly “I would not swim in a pond where beavers are active.”

On land, they're more susceptible to predators, but that big paddle-like tail doesn't slow them down as much as you might think. “I've seen beavers run on land, and from what I've seen they can outrun a person, but they're most energy efficient moving in water, and they can dive for safety in the water,” Tate said.

In most instances, the answer to this question is “neither.” As beavers rarely approach humans, they are neither gentle nor aggressive. You can coexist peacefully with these animals if you keep a distance between them and yourself. However, there are some circ*mstances in which beavers can become aggressive.

Paint and sand

The USDA has shown some success in protecting trees by painting their base with a mixture of coarse mason's sand (30–70 mil) and exterior latex paint. (The ratio is twenty ounces of sand to one gallon of paint.) The abrasive quality of the mixture may deter beavers.

What attracts beavers to your house? ›

One way to attract beavers is to place sturdy posts and other building materials that can be used as a base for a dam in key waterways. Another way to attract beaver families is to make a false dam with similar materials.

Besides the plant species listed above, the beaver consumes several other species - also some, which are known to be poisonous like lily of the valley - Convallaria majalis or poison hemlock - Conium maculatum.

Harvest by humans has the largest impact on beaver popula- tions, but river otters, wolves, coyotes, bobcats, and large birds of prey occasionally kill beavers. Beavers warn the colony of danger by slapping the water with their flat tail before diving to safety.

Beavers are still harvested for their fur and meat but are actively managed throughout most of their range. The beaver's main predator, besides humans, is the wolf. Other predators include coyotes, wolverines, bears, foxes and lynxes.

We suggest using a Solutions Humane Live Trap and Nature's Defense: All-Purpose Animal Repellent. The Solutions Humane Live Trap will allow you to trap Beavers. Nature's Defense will allow you to spread it around your property and close to trees to prevent Beaver damage.

While you will not encounter friendly beavers, they may actually be afraid of you. If you happen to be too close to a beaver, do not be surprised if he scurries away. As beavers do not like to be around people, these rodents simply want to get back to a safer environment.

The myth that beavers are aggressive and dangerous likely stems from a misunderstanding of their behavior and defensive instincts. Beavers are generally peaceful and tend to avoid confrontations with other animals, including humans. However, if a beaver feels threatened or cornered, it may exhibit defensive behavior.

Beaver attacks are a rarity, but the animals can become more aggressive at about two years of age, when they leave their colony to find a mate. Beavers can unleash nearly 180 pounds of biting force per square inch, compared to the human's 88 pounds.

The beaver has gained attention as a potential source of Giardia contamination of lakes, reservoirs, and streams, but human fecal wastes are also play an important role in spreading the parasite.