We Heart Beavers
We heart beavers – especially the beavers at Northwest Trek! Chip lives in the Forest & Wetland habitat, and Papa beaver and Timber live behind the scenes.
Keep scrolling for fun facts, videos and stories!
Mama beaver Chip has proudly raised three beaver kits. Two of her kits have gone to other zoos (beavers typically leave home at 2 years of age), but her son Timber still lives at Northwest Trek behind the scenes. One of Chip’s kits, Maple, currently lives at the Oregon Zoo with her mate Filbert.
Beavers are engineers, second only to humans in their ability to alter their environment. They work together to construct elaborate dams and lodges to create ponds or wetlands. They’re also expert swimmers, building their lodges with underwater entrances, and built with swimming superpowers like a paddle tail and the ability to hold their breath up to 15 minutes underwater.
- Beavers are large rodents, with blonde to black fur.
- They are active anytime, but usually nocturnal around humans. When alarmed a beaver will slap its tail on the surface of the water, creating a loud warning for others.
- They have massive front teeth which grow all through their lives – perfect for chewing branches as they build.
- After a 3-month pregnancy, females give birth to 2-3 kits that weighs about one pound.