You Won’t Believe All These Animals Eat Wood

The world’s animals possess unique, interesting diets that can include some seemingly inedible selections. Below, learn about the different types of animals that eat wood and what benefits it offers them. Before getting started, however, it’s important to understand that ‘wood’ can refer to many things. Many of the animals on this list don’t typically gnaw on entire trees. Instead, they usually eat parts of woody plants, such as bark. Ready to learn more? Let’s dive in.

1. Termites

When you think of animals that eat wood, termites are likely the first critters to come to mind. Termites are small insects that eat a variety of decaying plant matter, from leaf litter to wood. They are quite similar to ants, from their appearance to their social hierarchy. This has earned them the name of “white ants,” which references their pale coloration. In order to digest such materials, termites have a unique symbiotic relationship with the microbial ecosystem present in their gut. These microorganisms provide the necessary enzymes to break down decaying plant matter, providing the termites with a method of digestion. Many of the species found within the termite’s gut cannot be found anywhere else on the planet. They are not born with this unique gut microbiome; instead, they develop it over time.

2. Camels

In order to survive the harsh environment of the arid deserts that camels call home, they have developed some neat adaptations. This includes the ability to eat and digest wood. With their strong teeth, camels are able to eat tough, woody plants, including twigs and thorny shrubs. Camels may also eat different parts of wood. In the wild, they are known to strip bark from trees and eat it. They will also eat woody plants, like shrubs and even thorn bushes. 

3. Deer

It might be surprising to think of a deer eating wood, but it actually can be a large part of their diet. Food in the deer’s ecosystem is often abundant in the spring and summer months. From leafy plants to seeds to mushrooms, there is no shortage of vegetation available to the deer. However, during the winter months, this often changes greatly. This is especially true in the more northern extents of their range. During this time, the deer’s stomach is adapted to handle woody browse compared to leafy plants. This can include twigs as well. While this may not be the deer’s preferred food, eating wood can help keep them alive when no other food sources are available.

4. Beavers

The beaver is known for gnawing on wood to create its dams. However, did you know that beavers are also a great example of animals that eat wood? It’s important to know, though, that beavers don’t eat wood in the sense that you might originally think of. They also don’t eat the trees they cut down. Instead, beavers eat what is known as the cambium layer of wood. This layer of the tree trunk, located just beneath the bark, is responsible for the tree’s growth. It is often a little softer or even fleshy, with higher moisture content. This is due to the important cells located in this layer. As a result, it’s important to note that while beavers eat wood, they don’t consume entire trees—they eat only the thin layer beneath the bark.

5. Rabbits

When it comes to animals that eat wood, rabbits are quite similar to deer. During the spring and summer, these small mammals are able to forage to their heart’s content. They often eat clovers, grass, and other plants. They may consume a small amount of twigs and bark during this time. It is during the winter months that their diet takes on a significantly more woody portion due to the lack of fresh vegetation. However, like most animals except termites, rabbits don’t usually eat all parts of wood; they primarily consume bark and twigs.

6. Bark Beetles

The bark beetle is a small beetle that eats, lives in, and reproduces in trees. Different species focus on different parts of trees, and this can also vary depending on their life stage. For instance, when it comes time to lay eggs, females will chew deeper into the tree’s bark past the layer that contains sugar. At other times, they may remain closer to the surface of the bark, or even on it. They may eat twigs on the trees, as well as the softer inner layers of the bark, like the cambium layer.

7. Porcupine

If you live in certain northern regions, you may have had issues with porcupines eating your deck during the winter. This is because porcupines have a diet that is almost entirely made up of twigs and bark during the winter months when fewer leafy plants are available. However, unlike other animals who rely on wood out of necessity, the porcupine also just tends to enjoy wood, especially processed wood. Paints, stains, and even wood glues can contain salt, which the porcupine favors. This is why they are often seen gnawing on man-made structures like decks. Although processed wood doesn’t provide the nutritional benefits of twig tips and bark, it does contain the salt that porcupines crave.