Beaver

Beavers are present when you see chewed tree stumps or dammed streams or waterways. They are diurnal (active during daylight hours) and eat aquatic plants and tree bark. They are generally non-aggressive. These animals are not considered high-risk for rabies; however, giardiasis can be spread through their fecal matter.

Trapping is not a long-term solution, as another beaver will just move in. Some solutions are as follows:

  1. Beavers are poor climbers, so a 3 to 4 foot fence can serve as a permanent deterrent.

  2. Tree trunks can be protected using hardware cloth, wire mesh or tree wrap to at least 3.5 feet above ground.

  3. Place a radio nearby tuned to an all-talk or hard rock station.

Destroying the dam is futile, since the animals will begin to rebuild almost immediately. You can, however, modify the dam using a culvert placed through the dam so that the animals are unable to stem the flow of water.