beavers | Friends of Raymore Park

The amount of wildlife in Toronto parks is quite amazing and we aren’t always aware of the secret lives of the animals who live alongside us. Yes, beavers are a presence in Raymore Park and although it’s rare to see them, we can often see signs of them.

This young tree is close to the bike path by the footbridge. (April 2023)

One sign is the tell-tale gnawing of tree trunks at about 30-40 cm above the ground – often leaving a stump with a conical point. When the city plants trees in Raymore Park, they have (usually) learned to protect the new trees’ trunks with wire cages or else beavers will make quick (and expensive) work of them. Another sign might be a noisy tail splash – used as a warning to other beavers as you approach the water. Sometimes a cluster of sticks on the riverbank is evidence of a lodge.

Beavers need to eat wood as part of their diet and since their rodent teeth are constantly growing, gnawing on wood helps keep them in trim. Beavers restrict the flow of rivers and therefore mitigate the impact of flooding. Other wildlife benefit from the presence of these native animals. Eurasian beavers (slightly different to our North American variety) were hunted to extinction in the U.K. a few centuries ago but have been re-introduced in several locations throughout the British Isles and particularly in Scotland.

A fallen branch suspended at the right height is being consumed by beavers. (April 2023).

Where can beavers be seen in Raymore Park? One place seems to be fairly constant from year to year. There is an island just above the weir where they often hang out as it’s relatively safe from disturbance from humans and especially dogs. The Humber is quite wide so rather than dam the river, beavers will create a riverbank lodge that accommodates several animals.

A beaver swimming upstream by the island in May 2013.

Be patient as beavers are shy and usually hide when humans are present. If a dog is swimming in the river, a beaver might attack (they have the advantage in the water) so it’s wise to follow park leash rules.

A pair of ducks across from the clearly visible beaver island lodge. (April 2023).

‘Beaver Island lodge’ in summer (on the far bank). (August 2018) (click to enlarge)

A bench above the dam can be a good observation spot. Early mornings and late evenings are the best times for catching a glimpse of these mainly nocturnal creatures.

A costly lesson in neighbouring Lions Park. This tree was planted just a few years ago. (April 2023)

Lastly, a piece of beaver trivia – the minster town of Beverley in Yorkshire, England – which gave its name to Beverley Massachusetts and subsequently Beverley Hills in California – was named because of the beavers once living there. The town’s coat of arms proudly sports a Eurasian beaver.

Beverly Town Council coat of arms (from Wikipedia).

Students led by their teacher return to school after crossing the Humber.

Students from a local school were out today cycling through the park. A great way to introduce kids to the park system as many would be unaware of it without a school visit. The first portent of the students’ impending arrival was a group of about half a dozen supervisors decked out in yellow and orange safety jackets walking towards the bridge. The students then came by complete with bikes and helmets – a teacher at the front to lead and one at the rear to hurry along the slow ones.

Seeing the number of supervisors, I understand why so few trips end up in the park. Nowadays, safety trumps everything and nothing can be left to chance. The logistics of obtaining parental permission, organizing and paying for supervision would sadly mean that this is a very special and rare occasion.

On another topic, beavers have come and gone in the park in recent years. It’s hard for them to find a suitable and private enough location away from off-leash dogs and other menaces. Happily, today a beaver was bringing food to its lodge in the park so a family must have taken up residence.

A beaver swims towards its lodge carrying food in the form of leaves and twigs.

It’s not a very detailed photograph as at that distance the Sony’s 3.6x zoom doesn’t go far. No doubt the kits will be emerging in the next few weeks and will live with their parents for almost two years. Beavers mate for life after their third year and only breed once a year. By the early 20th Century, these animals had been trapped, poisoned and shot to near extinction here in North America but have recovered somewhat to about 5% of where they were before European settlement.