Hello, Adventurers! Welcome back to the Coastal Expeditions blog! If this is your first time visiting our blog, we’re happy to have you here. We are all about nature, adventure, and making the most out of the beautiful outdoors of South Carolina. If you enjoy all things hiking, paddling, kayaking, and spending time outdoors, you’ve come to the right place! Here on the blog, we dive deep into different habitats, excursions, conservation efforts, and nature programs. Our site is filled with interactive maps, destination guides, and educational resources. Since the weather is incredibly warm, we want to help you get out there and take advantage of all that the Lowcountry has to offer! We offer guided tours of the beautiful Lowcountry by kayak, paddleboard, ferry, boat, and private charter. We also have hands-on workshops taught by highly-trained guides on wilderness skills, birding, identifying native plants, sustainability, and camping. Anything you want to learn about, we teach! If you haven’t already, we encourage you to take a look around our site to learn more about our offerings. In our last post, we discussed birding, or birdwatching, which is the observation of birds as a recreational activity. Today, we’ll be shifting focus to highlight some fascinating animals that can be found right here in the Lowcountry: Beavers! Beavers are truly incredible semi-aquatic mammals, and we can’t wait to tell you all about them! Let’s get started.

It may come as a surprise that beavers are actually large rodents. In fact, they are the largest rodent in North America! These semi-aquatic rodents belong to the genus Castor with two species: The North American beaver and the Eurasian beaver. Beavers have relatively stout bodies with large heads and a shoulder height of between 8 and 9 inches, although their backs can be humped as high as 12 inches or more. Adult beavers can average 35 to 40 pounds, but can exceed 60 pounds. Beavers typically live 10 to 12 years, but can live even longer in captivity. The oldest beaver on record lived 30 years in human care! The fur that covers their body can range in color from brown to gray, or even blondish brown. This color varies between individuals as well as depending on the species. The dense and soft undercoat is overlaid with longer and stiffer guard hairs, helping the animal stay warm, float in water, and protect against predators. Beavers molt once every summer to keep their coat in the best condition! 

Perhaps the most distinguishing feature of a beaver is its tail: The tail is large, wide, and flat with a leathery texture. This is primarily how people identify beavers when spotting them in the wild. A beaver’s tail helps them swim faster, helps them balance when carrying a heavy log or tree trunk, and it can also be used to slap against the water to make a loud warning or alarm call. Beavers have hand-like front feet, while their back feet are webbed to assist them in swimming. Additionally, their bodies are streamlined like many marine mammals to help them move through the water easily. They can hold their breath for up to 15 minutes, however, they typically remain underwater for no more than five minutes. Another underwater adaptation that beavers possess is a translucent third eyelid, called a nictitating membrane. This eyelid covers and protects their eyes when underwater, while still allowing sight– Acting much like goggles. They also have valvular ears and noses, which allows them to close while underwater so that they do not fill with water. Yet another unique feature of the beaver is that its lips have the ability to close behind their incisors, allowing them to continue to gnaw underwater without swallowing water. Beavers may appear a bit awkward or slow-moving on land, but they can swim up to 6 miles per hour!

The North American beaver can be found in all of the 48 contiguous states and Alaska. Here in South Carolina, they can be found in portions of all 46 counties. They live in freshwater ecosystems, such as swamps, ponds, lakes, and streams, where they are known to construct dams. A dam blocks or slows down the flow of water in a river or stream. These dams are built with mud, sticks, and logs, and are made to then create a beaver lodge where they can live and be protected from predators such as wolves, coyotes, or mountain lions. They are one of the few animals that can actively change an ecosystem by blocking rivers and streams. Contrary to popular belief, beavers do not live inside their dams. Instead, they use the dam to create a safe pond to dwell in and build their beaver lodge, made of sticks, twigs, rocks, and mud. The beaver lodge has an underwater entrance, and inside they can sleep, stay warm, hide from predators, and raise their babies. Beavers cut down trees and branches to build dams using their large, strong front teeth, known as incisors. These incisors are long and grow continuously throughout their lives, so they must gnaw on wood to keep them from getting too long. Thick layers of enamel cover the teeth, keeping them strong and giving them an orange appearance. 

Beavers are herbivores, meaning they only eat plants– So they are essentially vegetarians! They eat leaves, twigs, and the inner bark of trees, as well as soft vegetation like cattails, watercress, clover, and water lilies. Typically, beavers will feed on trees in the winter months, and feed on plants and aquatic vegetation in the summer months. Sometimes, beavers will feed on nearby crops such as corn or soybeans. Beavers move between aquatic and terrestrial areas, but generally do not venture far from water. Their front feet are dexterous, allowing them to work on land and grasp objects. 

These semi-aquatic mammals are known as furbearers, which means they are hunted and trapped primarily for their fur. In fact, they were once the most sought after furbearer in North America. In the 1800s, uncontrolled trapping caused beaver populations to dwindle, including those in South Carolina. It wasn’t until 1940 that beavers were reintroduced into the Pee Dee region of eastern South Carolina by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Today, this beaver population continues to expand its range, and the overall population in North America has rebounded to approximately 10 to 15 million. This is good news, especially because beavers are good for the environment! Beavers are known as ecosystem engineers and keystone species, because they are known to have a large impact on the landscape and biodiversity of the areas in which they dwell. When beavers create dams, they are creating wetland environments for other mammals and aquatic invertebrates to live. The habitats they create are often perfect for raccoons, muskrats, and otters, as well as ducks and other waterfowl. Additionally, beaver dams reduce soil erosion and retain sediment. This means that pollutants are absorbed and filtered, which improves the quality of the water downstream used by humans and other species. 

As you can see, beavers are incredibly fascinating mammals that are great for the environment– And we think they’re pretty cute, too! Here at Coastal Expeditions, we offer a variety of guided eco-tours and trips that allow you to catch a glimpse of wildlife in the Lowcountry, such as birds, dolphins, otters, and even maybe a rare glimpse of a beaver! There are many options available, so be sure to check out our current tours and trips! We hope you found this article informative! As always, we thank you for reading and we hope to see you back on our blog soon. If you have any questions about our guided tours, reach out to us! At Coastal Expeditions, we are committed to introducing people to the wonders of the ecosystems of the Charleston area by providing guided tours and educational opportunities. If you’re looking to explore all that the Lowcountry has to offer, check out our offerings on our website to find the adventure which suits you best! We also offer kid-friendly tours as well as kids’ programs, camps, and kayak lessons. Our tours are led by knowledgeable, approachable naturalists and sea captains who are eager to answer your questions! Until next time, readers. Get out there and explore! Adventure awaits!