No, I was not nibbling a Beavertail waffle while walking around Humber Bay East in early January: I was watching a Canadian Beaver nibbling some dogwood twigs at the edge of Lake Ontario.

Do Beaver Live in Lake Ontario?

When I first moved to the Greater Toronto Area, I was surprised to see a lot of evidence of Beavers along the trails beside Lake Ontario. I did a bit of internet research and found that, yes, Canadian Beavers will live in large lakes, even Lake Ontario. Instead of building a dam to ensure the water stays deep enough to swim beneath the ice in winter, they just build a lodge where the water does not to freeze deeply enough to seal off the underwater entrances.

Once I started looking more carefully, I found the lodge at Colonel Sam Smith Park. I also started seeing the Beavers themselves. Though wary of humans, these “park” Beavers are not in a rush to dive and swim away. They will often stay at the edge of the Lake, cutting down shrubs, eating or basking and only swim off if the person gets too close.

Aren’t They Called American Beaver? What’s This “Canadian Beaver” Name?

I could see the water-repellant fur was working.

Naming conventions for animals, especially birds, change frequently enough that I often check online whether I am using the up-to-date name. I thought that Beavers might be called American Beavers to differentiate them from the related animal living in Europe. Instead, I found iNaturalist.org has decided to call them Canadian Beavers. As a Canadian, that pleased me, so I am using that name here! They are, after all, Castor Canadensis. It was interesting to me to read that they have genetically proven that the European and North American Beavers are two distinct species.

What Was This Toronto Canadian Beaver Eating in January?

Along the shore line at Humber Bay East park, there are a variety of shrubs, many planted in attempts to restore diversity. The Beaver I watched for a few minutes was eating Dogwood.

For a large animal, it was a surprisingly dainty eater.

Pretty soon I moved on to look at the waterfowl and feeder birds, leaving the Beaver to its mid-afternoon snack. I hope the mild weather continues and it can find food easily. And I hope to see another Canadian Beaver the next time I visit!

In case anyone needs proof it was a Beaver behold the tail !

Related Reading

• It’s a Mink–I Think?
• American Mink Pops Up at Humber Bay West
• A Mink vs a Mute Swan
• Muskrats in Mississauga

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Do Canadian Beaver live in a lake, or pond, near you? Please share your sighting with a comment.