Beaver Trap

A Beaver trap was an important tool for Europeans coming to the New World. First settlers and Native Americans hunted Beavers for their fur and meat. The Roman Catholic Church allowed people to eat Beaver meat during Lent, as it was not considered to be true meat, but rather fish. Beaver fur was used for making hats, collars, jackets, and other items of clothing. Beaver fur was a symbol of prestige in the 19th century. The fashion had almost led to the extinction of the species. Secretion of Beaver scent glands was used in medicine as an analgesic and anti-inflammatory drug. Today, it’s still used in perfume production, while Beaver pelts and meat are no longer valuable.

In Europe and some parts of the USA, Beavers are protected by law. In some areas, Beavers were saved from extinction by introducing colonies to suitable habitats. In Canada and in a number of US states, Beavers are common and don’t need any protection. More than that, people have to control their population, because their dams cause excessive flooding. A Beaver trap is an effective way to control the population of Beavers if they become numerous.

Beavers are very important for the ecosystems they live in. Think about it when you plan to put a Beaver trap. Their dams provide a habitat for numerous animals. Many aquatic and semi-aquatic plants grow along Beaver ponds; many insects thrive in quiet waters and provide food for numerous bird species; frogs and newts reproduce quickly in the pond and provide food for water birds and small predators. Salmon, trout, and other fish species nurse in Beaver ponds. Abandoned Beaver ponds become shallow and turn into meadows.

Beavers are unique animals, because they are able to manufacture their environment. They build their lodges of branches, stems of trees, grass, and mud. They make canals for floating logs to their lodges and make dams to conceal the entrance to the lodge underwater. Flooding caused by a dam provides for an easy access to the Beaver’s food: twigs, bark and shoots of trees, grass and aquatic vegetation. On land, Beavers are rather slow and helpless, so they prefer not to leave the water. A Beaver trap can be placed close to the lodge.