Hey Philly newsletter editor Asha Prihar co-wrote this article.
Beavers are cute, industrious, and an important part of Pennsylvania’s ecosystem, but they were once wiped off the face of the state. Let’s explore how America’s largest rodent made a comeback in the Keystone State, and talk about their appearances in Philly in recent years. 🦫
We Are So Back
Before the arrival of European colonists, beavers were abundant in North America, but by the late 1800s excessive trapping and rapidly changing landscapes had eradicated the entire population in Pennsylvania. Fur pelts were a hot commodity at the time, their thick and water-repellent properties being used for the production of hats and clothing.
🤠 Side note: Stetson hats are synonymous with the West, but John B. Stetson actually started his hat business in Philly.
After the state legislature passed a law to protect beavers in 1903, the Pennsylvania Game Commission acquired a pair from Wisconsin and released them into a remote valley in Cameron County in 1917. Following additional releases and conservation efforts, beaver populations were stable enough to allow for trapping by 1934. These days, there are plenty to be found across the commonwealth.
A Keystone Species in the Keystone State
At 50-plus pounds, beavers are indeed the largest native rodent in the country. Beyond the “aww” factor, their dam building greatly impacts the ecosystem around them.
Researchers in Colorado found that beaver-modified landscapes fare better in wildfires — and they’re already deploying beavers for wildfire prevention. Such is their importance that the Pennsylvania Game Commission has a beaver management plan — a document stating that the furbearer’s environmental impact “far outweighs their economic worth.”
Are There Beavers in Philly?
Great question. Beavers generally like to live in remote environments with narrow rivers and slow-moving streams — so, they’re not exactly urban dwellers. Two-and-a-half decades ago, there didn’t seem to be any beavers to be found in the city. But Philadelphians and Parks & Rec officials started spotting beavers and beaver activity in Philly parks around 2018.
As of 2021, there had been beaver sightings — while rare — in Cobbs Creek, Fairmount Park, Tacony Creek Park, and the Manayunk Canal, according to a blog post from the Fairmount Park Conservancy.
Also in 2021, Fishtown residents started monitoring Penn Treaty Park trying to catch sight of one of the big rodents, after multiple neighbors reported seeing a beaver-like creature, and bite marks appeared toward the bottom of the park’s willow trees. After a few weeks, a trail camera managed to catch a glimpse of the beaver’s tail.
