The secret winter life of beavers It’s a common misconception that beavers hibernate. In fact, they remain active all year round, even through the harshest winter months. While many mammals retreat into deep hibernation, slowing their bodies to survive, beavers adopt a different strategy. Their activity drops, but they never truly switch off. Winter is often described as the beaver’s “secret time of year.” At high northern latitudes, where thick ice can cover ponds and rivers, beavers spend much