>>715347546>I wonder how many are smart enough to know to gnaw the tree a certain way so that the tree can only fall in a direction away from it.About 99.99% of them. Not only do they work in a way that allows them maximizing the likelyhood that the tree won't fall on them. They also actively direct the process to increase the likelihood the tree will fall towards their damn and not away from it. It ensures shorter escape route should they be disturbed during feeding. But knowing something does not mean you are flawless in execution.
Most of what beavers do has an instinctive underpinning, but all of it also requires experience and training. It's one of the reasons why beaver cubs have an incredibly slow cub development for a rodent: they spend several years dependent on their parents because there is a lot they need to learn from them and a lot they need to practice.