Beavers are hard-working animals that are famous for changing their environment. They cut down trees which alters forest growth, and build dams that turn rivers and valleys into wetlands.
People have always used beavers for food and fur, but a new study looks at the connection between humans and beavers more closely. Does their skill at changing the land affect how beavers interact with humans?1
Here’s what the researchers discovered.
Beavers Influencing Ancient Environments
According to the study, scientists looked at 116 old places in Northern Europe to see how beavers changed the environment up to 9,000 years in the past. They found that beavers made it easier for people to find food.
When beavers built dams and made wetlands, there were more fish, such as pike, and and a variety of animals which helped humans live in these areas more easily. After the last Ice Age, when the ice melted, beavers may have helped humans find new places to live by creating these wetlands.(ref)
Did Ancient Humans Value Beavers?
While European settlers in the 1800s almost wiped out beavers in a short time, beaver remains found at some ancient sites lasted for over 5,000 years.(ref)
There are signs that early humans saw beavers as valued and important. They made tools and jewelry out of beaver teeth and bones, showing that beavers were more than just food or fur to them.
Shumon Hussain, who led the study, says that paying attention to how beavers influenced human behavior and culture indicates that people respected beavers like neighbors.(ref)
How We’re Changing Our View of Beavers
Scientists are starting to look at beavers differently. Instead of focusing on how humans used beavers, they’re looking at how beavers affected the whole environment, including humans.(ref)
This new way of looking at things is happening in science as a whole. Scientists are trying to understand how humans lived with other animals in the past. By showing that animals aren’t just food, this research helps us understand the past in a new way.
How Do Beavers Help the Environment?
Today, there are differing opinions about beaver activity. Some see beavers as helpful for creating healthy wetlands, and there are programs to bring them back to places they used to live. But others see beavers as causing problems because they can change the environment in ways that disrupt human activity.
However, this study shows that humans and beavers have coexisted peacefully in the past. This means we might be able to find ways to get along with beavers again and enjoy the benefits they bring to the environment.
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Davin is a jack-of-all-trades but has professional training and experience in various home and garden subjects. He leans on other experts when needed and edits and fact-checks all articles.