Oregon, United States – Filbert, the Oregon Zoo’s beaver also known as Stumptown Fil, has turned 15 and marked the occasion with a birthday celebration at the zoo this week.
The birthday included a stump-shaped “cake” decorated with beets and carrots, along with special attention from his care team.
Zoo staff describe Filbert as active and healthy, though he is now considered geriatric for a beaver. Jennifer Osburn Eliot, who oversees the zoo’s Great Northwest area, said he is “well into his teen years now, which is considered geriatric for a beaver.”
His care has been expanded due to his age. This includes more exercise, extra swim time, and training sessions designed to keep him moving around his habitat. Keepers also spread out his favorite foods to encourage activity.
His diet has been adjusted as well, with more greens added to support his health in later life. He receives regular health checks from zoo veterinarians.
Wild beavers typically live up to 10 years, according to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, though those in human care often live longer.
Filbert was born at the Oregon Zoo on April 19, 2011. He is also known as “Stumptown Fil,” where he has made seasonal predictions, including a 2026 forecast of six more weeks of winter.
He lives with a beaver named Maple, and both have gained a large online following for their wood-gathering behavior, earning them the nickname “branch managers.”
Beavers in Oregon were once heavily impacted by hunting, trapping, pollution, and habitat loss by around 1900, but populations have since recovered. They are now listed as a species of least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
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