During a walk in the forest, do you ask yourself which culprits are responsible for game browsing? For a sobering reason, tree bark is on the menu for many wild animals. Read here which forest animals eat tree bark.
Which animals eat tree bark?
Eating tree barkDeer,Rodentsand someBeetlesFor the well-known wild animal species deer, beavers, squirrels, mice and rabbits, bark is justEmergency FoodTree bark is at the top of the menu for bark beetles and bark beetles. Woodpeckers do not eat bark, but rather look for insect larvae.
Why do animals like to eat tree bark?
Most animals in Central Europe eat tree bark asEmergency foodFor herbivores, twigs, herbs, leaves and grasses are the main food. Monoculture and the destruction of their habitat reduces the food supply, so that wild animalsswitch to bark Against this background, it is an alarm signal that we interpret the frequently eaten tree bark as the favorite food of our forest animals.
Which animals feed on tree bark?
The species-richDeer family(Cervidae), numerousRodents(Rodentia) and somefeed on tree bark. Beetle species (Coleoptera). Birds, such as the woodpecker, do not use tree bark as a food source, but instead look for insect larvae under the bark. These are the best-known bark eaters in the forest:
- Ruminant game species: red deer, roe deer, chamois
- Rodents: beavers, squirrels, mice, rabbits
- Sleeper species: tree dormouse, dormouse, dormouse.
- Beetles: bark beetles, bark beetles, wood borers, jewel beetles.
Which tree species are often affected by game browsing?
Affected by game browsing areDeciduous treesandConiferous trees Starving wild animals don't care about the tree species if they gnaw or peel bark with a growling stomach. Only the beaver shows any preferences, as it prefers to gnaw on the bark of alder, willow and poplar trees.
Tip
Tree bark is edible for humans
Did you know that tree bark is also good for the human stomach? The edible part is the cambium, the layer of tissue between the bark and sapwood. The cambium contains he althy fiber and vitamins. Furthermore, in times of emergency, edible tree bark provides a vital 100 calories per 100 grams. You can either eat the bark raw, cooked and fried or dry it, grind it into flour and bake bark bread.
