Beavers are known for making dams that create pools of water like ponds and even lakes. Fun fact: the largest beaver dam is 2790 feet long in Wood Buffalo National Park in Canada. The rising water level actually protects the beaver’s real home, which is called a lodge. These lodges are usually found along the shoreline and they can be seen just barely above water level.

Beaver lodges are dome-shaped and sometimes have two entrances, one of which is underwater for easy-access swimming. They are woven together with sticks, grass, and moss, then glued together with mud. This makes for a safe, structurally sound home for a beaver to raise their young, sleep, and hide from predators.

Since these lodges are made along the shoreline, their dams help to keep them submerged and further protected from predators. This is why installing beaver pipes is so effective in removing beavers from an area. Since they adjust the water level and expose beaver lodges, it leaves them unprotected.

Beavers are crafty creatures, using all foliage and vegetation to create lodges and dams. They are beneficial to the environment, providing protection, water, and food to all nearby wildlife.