Do beavers eat wood when cutting down trees

Beavers do not actually consume the wood or the trunk of the trees they cut down, as they are unable to digest it^[2][3][4]. Their primary goal in felling trees is to reach the inner, growing cambium layer of the bark, along with fine twigs and leaves, which serve as their food^[2][3][4].

Once the bark has been stripped for food, the remaining woody branches and trunks are repurposed to construct their dams and lodges^[2][3]. Furthermore, beavers chew wood to keep their teeth sharp and prevent them from growing too long, as their incisors grow throughout their entire lives^[1][3].