A new American Beaver exhibit area is set to open at Yokohama Hakkeijima Sea Paradise on March 7, 2026. Located in the Aqua Museum 4F Forestrium, the exhibit allows visitors to observe American Beavers engaging in their natural behaviors up close.
New American Beaver Exhibit Area Opens on March 7, 2026
Starting March 7, 2026, the Aqua Museum 4F Forestrium at Yokohama Hakkeijima Sea Paradise will feature a new exhibit area designed to showcase American Beavers in a setting inspired by their natural habitat.
Known as the "forest architects," American Beavers are well known for their habit of gnawing trees and using the wood to dam waterways, then building lodges within those dams. In the new exhibit area, both a waterside environment and a lodge (nest) have been recreated to reflect the natural habitats where American Beavers live in the wild.
Visitors will have the chance to see the beavers skillfully using their front paws to gnaw wood, carrying branches larger than their own bodies, building sleeping areas from wood, and swimming using their webbed hind feet and large flat tails. While American Beavers are nocturnal and often asleep during the day, the exhibit is designed so visitors can observe their authentic behaviors whenever they are active.
Exhibit Details:
- Location: Aqua Museum 4F LABO11 Forestrium
- Hours: In line with Forestrium exhibit hours
- Note: The exhibit may be paused depending on the animals' health conditions.
About Forestrium
The Aqua Museum 4F Forestrium, which opened in July 2018, recreates the natural daily environments of waterside and forest settings. It provides visitors with an opportunity to learn about aquatic ecosystems and the creatures living within them. In the "Forest Path" section of Forestrium, a variety of animals—including land animals, aquatic creatures, waterbirds, and freshwater fish—can be seen without barriers such as fences or acrylic panels.
New Female American Beaver "Yamabuki" Joins the Aquarium
Since January 20, 2026, Yokohama Hakkeijima Sea Paradise has been exhibiting a new female American Beaver named "Yamabuki," who transferred from Nasu Animal Kingdom. The facility first began displaying American Beavers in October 2025, with the beavers housed in the "Forest Path" section of the Aqua Museum 4F Forestrium.
"Yamabuki" is currently sharing the exhibit space in the 4F Forestrium with a male beaver, and the two can be seen walking and swimming together.
About the American Beaver
American Beavers are a species of rodent (related to mice and rats) found in rivers and waterways across North America, and are the second-largest aquatic mammal after the capybara. Largely nocturnal and often asleep during the day, they are recognizable by their strong orange teeth, which are capable of gnawing through entire trees. Their habit of using gnawed wood to dam waterways and build lodges has earned them the nickname "forest architects." In the wild, their dam-building activity transforms surrounding environments through water purification, creation of wetlands, and flood regulation, supporting a wide variety of other wildlife. American Beavers are also among the rare mammals known to be monogamous and are recognized for their strong family bonds.
American Beaver Profile:
- Classification: Rodentia, Castoridae
- English Name: American Beaver
- Scientific Name: Castor canadensis
- Distribution: North America, from Alaska to northern Florida
- Size: Body length 80–120 cm, Weight 10–30 kg
