Video shows beaver roaming Toronto waterfront unfazed by public

A beaver spotted near Toronto’s waterfront on Thursday remained unfazed by the public and excited children while it worked on building its dam in a video posted to social media by CTV’s Adrian Ghobral.

Located near the BeaverTails stand on Queens Quay near York Street, the beaver could be seen carrying a small, leafless tree twice its length to its presumable dam below the boardwalk.

A small group of children can be heard in the video narrating the busy beaver, with one excitedly exclaiming, “This is as close as I’m ever going to get to a beaver.”

Another said, “I’d never seen a beaver once in my life!” And, it might not be their last time seeing one.

Spotted in downtown Toronto! A Beaver right at the foot of York Street and Queens Quay. A stones throw from the @BeaverTails stand! Turn up the volume, the play by play by a group of excited children is the best! #TorontoBeaver #CanadianContent pic.twitter.com/pblJ371Lfg

— Adrian Ghobrial (@AdrianGhobrial) January 25, 2024

According to the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA), the American beaver is quite common in Toronto. Of the nine watersheds within the Greater Toronto Area, the beaver has been documented in all.

“The American beaver is a semi-aquatic mammal native to Canada, including the Toronto area,” the TRCA’s website reads. “While Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) does not monitor beaver populations, they have been documented in every watershed within our jurisdiction.”

Perhaps surprisingly, the beaver’s populations may also be higher in urban settings. This is because they have few natural predators and enjoy eating vegetation planted near watercourses, according to the TRCA.

Towards the end of the video, when the beaver successfully relocated his newfound tree, one of the children can be heard saying, “Come on.”

The beaver remained unfazed.