Science database
KNOWLEDGE BASE
We have gathered decades of scientific research from Great Britain, continental Europe and North America to share with people interested in diving deeper into the world of beavers.
This list of resources is being constantly amended and updated.
Showing 774 articles
Comment – A trial reintroduction of the European Beaver
Published by: British Wildlife
1st August 2005
This text reports on correspondence between the author and Scottish authorities on the hold-up in making a decision about the Knapdale Forest beaver trial. Please note, this resource is not open-access.
The composition and properties of beaver (Castor fiber) meat
Published by: European Journal of Wildlife Research
13th July 2005
In this study, researchers report on the distribution and nutritional content of the meat of wild beavers. They find that beaver thighs made up one-third of the overall body weight and contained two-thirds of the overall meat. The meat had a high protein content. In some parts of the world, there is a tradition for hunting beaver for meat but, until this study, most beaver meat research was based on beavers held in captivity. Please note, this resource is not open-access.
Possible Tool Use by Beavers, Castor canadensis , in a Northern Ontario Watershed
Published by: Canadian Field-Naturalist
1st July 2005
This text reports on a beaver using a willow stem as a tool to reach higher branches for food. This unique behaviour reduced the need for land foraging, lowering the risk of predation to the beaver. This is the first reported instance of a beaver using a tool to help with foraging.
Dispersal and survival of juvenile beavers (Castor canadensis) in southern Illinois
Published by: The American Midland Naturalist
1st July 2005
This study tracked 32 young beavers in southern Illinois to understand their movements as they disperse from their home sites. They present a wide variety of results, including: how far the beavers travel, when in the year the beavers left and when they settled, how many left the home site and how many survived the process. They also explore the impact of geography, sex, and age on each these findings; for example, male beavers moved more frequently and for further distances than females, but ended up settling a similar distance away. Please note, this resource is not open-access.
Ecological impact of beavers Castor fiber and Castor canadensis and their ability to modify ecosystems
Published by: Mammal Review
1st July 2005
In this article, researchers explain how beavers influence habitats physically, with their building behaviour, and biologically, with their foraging behaviour. They explain that beavers' impacts on the landscape vary according to population density and the geography of the habitat. The authors suggest that the influential role beavers play in ecosystem dynamics and their extensive range across the Northern hemisphere mean they should be a part of environmental managers' conservation plans.