Do beavers live in Austin? That’s what locals are asking after a video posted to Reddit appeared to show a brown, furry creature swimming through the water at Lady Bird Lake.
“I didn’t know there were beavers in Texas until the trees in our Buda subdivision kept disappearing and a beaver dam appeared in our community pond,” one Reddit user wrote in response to the video. “So, I googled only to find that beavers do, indeed, live and thrive in Texas.”
One expert we talked to confirmed that commenter’s findings, and said the swimming rodent in the video was indeed a beaver.
“I am confident this is a beaver” said Christina Burkovich, Wildlife Exhibit Coordinator with Austin Parks and Recreation.
“Beavers are native to the area, so it wouldn’t be entirely unheard of if they’ve spotted beavers in and around Lady Bird Lake,” she added.
But if you see what looks like a beaver, don’t rush to call it one. You could also be spotting nutria, a type of semi-aquatic rodent also known to frequent the area. One of the main differences between the two is nutria are often seen during the day, while beavers come out at dusk and dawn, Burkovich said.
What else tells them apart? Beavers have a “large, broad, flat, paddle‑like tail, which clearly contrasts with the rest of the body,” Burkovich said. Nutria have “long, slender, rat‑like tails.”
This isn’t the first beaver spotting that’s drawn local attention. Just two months ago, Austin Animal Services officers responded to reports of a lone baby beaver strolling along a sidewalk. They searched for its family without success, ultimately taking it to Austin Wildlife Rescue.