Beavers Are Gnawing Their Way Back to the Top in Ohio

Nature’s engineers are rebuilding more than just dams: They’re leading the way in natural restoration. The beaver is North America’s largest rodent, weighing up to 60 pounds, and it has a complex relationship with Northeast Ohio’s environment.

Beavers’ webbed feet, waterproof fur, clear third eyelids and rudder-like tail equip them to be excellent in the water. Rich in iron, their front teeth allow them to chew through hard woods and are necessary for survival. Beavers create, modify and maintain habitats, largely impacting the biodiversity of an area, says Rocky River Nature Center lead Naturalist Karen Lakus. “They’re what we call a keystone species,” she says.

Population Rebound

Overtrapping caused the beaver to be extirpated from Ohio by 1830. “When people of European descent began