Do BEAVERS get along with each other? Beavers can recognize their kin by detecting differences in anal gland secretion composition using their keen sense of smell.^[57] Related beavers share more features in their anal gland secretion profile than unrelated beavers. Being able to recognize kin is important for beaver social behavior, and it causes more tolerant behavior among neighboring beavers. Because they invest so much energy in their territories, beavers are intolerant of intruders and the holder of the territory is more likely to escalate an aggressive encounter.^[58] These encounters are often violent. To avoid such situations, a beaver marks its territory with as many scent mounds as possible, signaling to intruders that the territory holder has enough energy to maintain its territory and is thus able to put up a good defense. As such, territories with more scent mounts are avoided more often than ones with fewer mounts.

Also their tails aren’t just used for swimming. Beavers also slap the water with them to startle predators as they dive out of harm’s way.