Watch The Sighting:
Wildlife enthusiast and videographer, Judy Lehmberg, collected fascinating footage of local beavers during her visit to Grand Teton National Park. The clear waters and mountainous backdrop made Schwabacher’s Landing a perfect spot to observe these hard-working mammals and appreciate their importance in shaping the ecosystem.
Nature’s Architects At Work
Judy’s footage proves that beavers are North America’s most industrious animal. The ecosystem engineers can be seen swimming gracefully through the calm waters, transporting hefty branches with purpose.
They use consistent, dedicated teamwork to ferry branches to build new dams and reinforce existing ones. Their sharp teeth make quick work of the branches, which they can stack and slot into place with calculated precision.
Bite By Bite
Interestingly, when beavers aren’t cutting down logs or larger branches, they find other things to chew on. Toward the end of Judy’s video, the beavers are seen chewing on many little twigs.
This behaviour serves two purposes: tooth sharpening and diet. Like all rodents, beavers have teeth that grow continuously throughout their lives.
Chewing on wood helps prevent their teeth from becoming too long while keeping them sharp. With enamel on the outside and dentin on the inside, the beaver’s incisors can be worn down using the chisel-like motion seen in Judy’s footage.
In addition to building materials, these small branches also serve as a vital food source, especially during colder months when fresh vegetation is scarce. A beaver’s diet includes the soft inner bark of trees, leaves, and twigs, which provide essential nutrients.
As a result, you’ll often see beavers nibbling on sticks even when they aren’t actively constructing a dam or lodge.
Building Biodiversity
While beaver dams may look like simple stick stacking, in reality, they are integral parts of an ecosystem’s function. Through slowing and storing, dams help regulate the flow of water in rivers and ponds.
This reduces flooding, increases groundwater recharging, and provides consistent water levels throughout the year. Additionally, the dams help sediment settle out of rivers, which in turn prevents erosion.
Finally, beaver dams create wetland environments for countless species, including moose, amphibians, waterfowl, and aquatic insects that rely on the ponds for their survival.
The Rhythm Of The Wild
Beavers have been a foundational presence at Schwabacher’s Landing for several decades. They have quietly shaped the landscape through generations of dam-building and lodge construction.
Get our Best Sightings as they Come in
Their dams slow the Snake River’s flow, helping to create the iconic reflective pools that mirror the Tetons and draw photographers from around the world.
Over the years, the steady, quiet labour of beavers has helped maintain the ecological richness and natural character of this beloved corner of the park. Judy’s footage is more than cute; it’s a living blueprint of resilience, teamwork, and ecological harmony, all carried out by a species that thrives through careful planning and tireless effort.
This sighting teaches us that real impact often comes from consistent, quiet work, no drama, just dedication.