Meet The Hardworking Beavers Of Lincoln Park’s South Pond

LINCOLN PARK — Before the early morning dog walkers, joggers and park strollers begin filling the paths that surround the South Pond at Lincoln Park, a few of the neighborhood’s busiest residents are already at work.

Somewhere in the reeds and native plants along the South Pond, beavers can be seen in the water, tending to a lodge they have called home for years.

For many visitors, the beavers’ presence might come as a surprise. But to wildlife experts, the species making a home among the woody vegetation is proof that Chicago is far wilder than most people realize.

Beavers have been spotted around the South Pond and Nature Boardwalk since at least 2022, according to Lincoln Park Zoo’s Urban Wildlife Institute.

While the sight of one paddling through the water and building a dam in the middle of Chicago may seem unusual, the semi-aquatic mammals have proven surprisingly adept at carving out a place for themselves in cities.

“I think a lot of people assume beavers don’t seem like animals that belong in a city or that could make a space for themselves in urban areas,” said Seth Magle, senior director of Lincoln Park Zoo’s Urban Wildlife Institute. “But we’re seeing actually all across their range, they do great in cities. They do great in little parkways and nature areas like our Nature Boardwalk. If you could ask them and get an answer, they would absolutely say that they belong here.”

Exactly how many beavers are currently living around the South Pond isn’t known, but visitors have reported seeing as many as six at one time, suggesting the colony has grown since the first sightings a few years ago.

Their presence is just the latest reminder that Chicago’s urban landscape doubles as wildlife habitat.

Over the years, Chicagoans have encountered bald eagles soaring over the Chicago River and nesting on the South Side, coyotes roaming neighborhood streets and cemeteries, red foxes darting through parks and, in one memorable case, an alligator living in a Humboldt Park lagoon.

The Nature Boardwalk offers many of the things a beaver needs to thrive, Magle said: water, native vegetation and a relatively quiet refuge from the bustle of the surrounding city.

“They’re looking for water, and they’re looking for a lot of good plants that they can eat, plants and trees that they can chow down on,” Magle said.

Years of restoration work have transformed the boardwalk into a lush landscape of native plants and habitat. For a beaver searching for food and shelter, it is an attractive oasis tucked between busy streets, high-rise buildings and one of the city’s most visited attractions.

The animals also tend to be most active at night, when the boardwalk becomes one of the quieter corners of the city.

“Even though they live in the city, they’re mostly trying to avoid people,” Magle said. “The boardwalk probably represents a pretty rare, quiet spot in the city.”

Living alongside beavers, however, has required some adjustments.

For Lincoln Park Zoo, whose Urban Wildlife Institute promotes coexistence between people and wildlife, the arrival of a beaver colony became an opportunity to put those values into practice.

“A beaver shows up on your doorstep and you’re like, ‘Oh, I guess we really have to live this for real now,’” Magle said.

Zoo staff regularly monitor the animals and have worked with horticulture and operations teams to protect important trees throughout the area. Metal cages now surround many trees the zoo hopes to preserve from hungry beavers.

In a few cases, however, the beavers ended up helping with landscaping plans.

According to Magle, staff intentionally left some unwanted trees uncaged, allowing the animals to do what beavers naturally do best.

“The beavers actually did part of their job for them and took those down,” he said.

The relationship isn’t always seamless. Beavers frequently attempt to dam portions of the pond and nearby water features, occasionally creating maintenance challenges. But rather than viewing those behaviors as problems to eliminate, zoo staff have largely focused on finding ways to coexist.

The beavers are doing more than chewing trees.

Ecologists consider beavers a “keystone species” and an “ecosystem engineer” because of their ability to reshape the habitats around them, Magle said. By building dams and modifying waterways, they can influence everything from plant communities and insect populations to fish and turtles.

“They’re probably changing their environment in a really big way, and that’s kind of magical,” Magle said.

Hoping To Spot A Beaver?

Visitors hoping to catch a glimpse of the South Pond’s most elusive residents will need some patience.

Early mornings and evenings offer the best chance of seeing beavers swimming through the water or working near their lodge, though sightings are never guaranteed.

Anyone lucky enough to spot one should admire it from a distance, Magle said. Visitors should stay on designated paths and boardwalks and never attempt to approach or touch wildlife.

Like most urban animals, beavers generally prefer to keep their distance from people.

For Magle, the colony’s continued presence serves as a reminder that nature exists all around Chicago, even in places where people least expect it.

“When you open your eyes to it, you can suddenly realize that you really do live in a place that’s full of other species that are all trying to make a living and find mates and find food and shelter,” Magle said. “You really are living in a nature special, no matter where you are.”