Science actually figured this one out. Beavers raised in captivity when exposed to a speaker playing river noises will cover it up with as much stuff as possible to hide the noise. So it's the noise they have an issue with
Then why not live away from the river or maybe in a lake?
They require ponds to live safely. They build dams which create ponds. Then they build little mound houses out of sticks and mud in the middle of the pond. The house only has underwater entrances. They can cut trees down and float them into the pond, where it is safer to eat. They're mostly aquatic mammals.
They have been known to live in lakes, and when they do they dig dens under the shoreline.
The reason they don't like the sound of running water is the same reason we don't like to hear the sound of unexplained running water in our homes, it's a sign of a leak. The only difference is for them it's instinctual, and for us we understand the consequences of a leak in our home.
Well, they do live in a lake, they just have to build it.
I believe the way they build their burrows doesn't work well without the flooding part.
That's just quitter talk.
While working as engineers, beavers still can't afford to live in the city considering the high cost for housing.
There is a norwegian study that found that isolated beaver babies start piling up sticks and stuff at some point but do not build dams. They concluded (the scientists) that piling up stuff is genetic and building dams is cultural (has to be learned). I have no link but the study was made in Bø
That reminds me of this cute (or maybe sad) video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ImdlZtOU80
It's like me when someone plays their music out-loud on the bus. They always seem to get angry when I start wrapping their phone up with newspaper.
This is fascinating, but what's the evolutionary advantage of covering up the noise?
Dams
There's a video of someone who domesticated a baby beaver for whatever reason. It started piling things up at the hallway entrance.
I'll be dammed
Post10 has some interesting videos - apparently putting an outlet intake in the bottom of a pond instead of at the edge means they will ignore it.
Don’t flush the beaver!
Beavers are totally rad. They're a whole lot bigger than people typically think, too.
