KNOWLEDGE BASE

This article reports on how beavers, moose, and snowshoe hares responded to clear-cutting over 10 years. Beaver populations remained stable because their riverside feeding habitat wasn't affected. Please note, this resource is not open-access.

This study presented an analysis of water quality around the site of the proposed beaver reintroduction in Knapdale, Argyll, Scotland. Water tests showed that two parasites of concern were occasionally present in the water of the Knapdale Forest, but not in drinking water. The broader water quality varied a lot. The authors suggest that, with proper quarantine and monitoring, beaver reintroduction does not pose a significant public health risk.

In 1946, 25 pairs of Canadian beavers were introduced to Tierra del Fuego, Argentina. Their population grew and spread, damaging Chilean forests. Hunting them for fur and meat could help control their numbers. This study analysed the meat quality of Chilean beavers. Results showed that the beavers had an average weight of 14 kg. The muscle tissue was 76% moisture and 22% protein. Please note, this resource is not open-access.

Identifying whether a beaver is male or female can be hard because they lack external genitalia and look similar. Researchers used a genetic method on DNA smaples from 96 beavers and were able to accurately identify the beaver's gender 90% of the time. This method can be used alongside other existing methods to help identify beaver gender. This is important during re-introductions and to be able to understand beaver ecology more generally.

Researchers studied beavers from three different habitat types to see if their castor sacs and anal glands - the organs used to produce scents - differ according to gender. Beavers use scent to mark their territory and males are more territorial than females. In this study, they found that male beavers have bigger anal glands but smaller castor sacs than females. This suggests that each gender uses scent differently.