Facts about Beaver
Beavers are then likely to re-colonize the area, and the cycle begins again.
Adult beavers weight from 14 kg (30 lbs) to as much as 40 kg (88 lbs) (Nowak 1983).
Beavers sometimes make their dens by burrowing into the banks of streams or lakes rather than building a lodge.
The American beaver is the national animal of Canada; it is depicted on the Canadian five-cent piece and was on the first Canadian postage stamp, the Three-Penny Beaver.
Destroying a beaver dam without removing the beavers takes a lot of effort, especially if the dam is downstream of an active lodge.
Unfortunately, the human role has not always been so kind to beavers, nearly driving the European beaver to extinction and at one point endangering the American beaver.
Beaver dams also reduce erosion as well as decrease the turbidity that is a limiting factor for much aquatic life.
The European beaver was hunted almost to extinction by the early twentieth century, but is now making a comeback and is being reintroduced to parts of its former range (IUCN 2007).
Genetic research has shown the European and North American beaver populations to be distinct species and that hybridization is unlikely.
Beaver fur consists of two kinds of hair—the one close-set, silky and of a grayish color, the other much coarser and longer, and of a reddish brown.
Beavers live in family groups, usually consisting of one male and female pair and their offspring.
The European beaver (Castor fiber) is native to northern Europe and northwestern Asia.
The ponds created by well-maintained dams help isolate the beavers' home (their lodge), which is also created from severed branches and mud.
The American beaver (Castor canadensis) is native to North America, from northern Canada to northern Mexico.
Beavers are best known for their construction behavior, especially the building of dams.
Beaver dams also smooth out water flow by increasing the area wetted by the stream.
The beaver works as a keystone species in an ecosystem by creating wetlands that are utilized by many other species.
The American beaver was introduced to southern Argentina as a fur resource and is now considered a pest there.
Beavers eat mainly plant foods, although they sometimes also eat insects (IUCN 2007).
Beaver pelts were used for barter by Native Americans in order to gain European goods.
The beaver's modification of the environment benefits many other species of animals.
Beavers have long been hunted and trapped by humans, mainly for their fur, but also for their scent glands, which are used to make perfume.
The two beaver species, Castor canadensis (American beaver) and Castor fiber (European beaver) are very similar, being chiefly distinguished by the form of the nasal bones of the skull.
Beavers dig out their den with an underwater entrance after they finish building the dam and lodge structure.
Beavers are large, semi-aquatic rodents native to North America and Europe.
Despite the great environmental benefits of their activities, beavers can also cause problems for humans, especially by destroying trees and flooding roads and railroads.
Beavers can rebuild such primary dams overnight, though they may not defend secondary dams as vigorously.
Beaver dams are created both as a protection against predators, such as coyotes, wolves, and bears, and to provide easy access to food during winter.
Beavers historically have provided direct economic benefit to humans through fur and have added to human enjoyment of nature, both directly and by increasing biodiversity.
Beavers make their homes in or near bodies of freshwater, such as lakes, streams, and ponds, and spend much of their time in the water.
Beaver dams also smooth out water flow by increasing the area wetted by the stream.
The beaver is the state mammal of New York (after the historical emblem of New Netherland).
Like all rodents, beavers have two large incisors on both the upper and lower jaws.
Beaver pelts were used for barter by Native Americans in order to gain European goods.
By raising the stream level, the gradient of the surface of the water table above the beaver dam is reduced, and water near the beaver dam flows more slowly into the stream.
The most recognized type is the conical shaped dwelling surrounded by water. It is made from sticks, mud and rocks. One of the primary reasons beavers build dams is to surround their lodge with water for protection from predators. The second type of lodge is the bank lodge.
Beaver Benefits – A Keystone Species. While beavers are considered to be pests by some, scientists actually have proven that beavers are a “Keystone” species in North America. This means that beavers play a crucial role in biodiversity.
Beaver. ... Gynecological sense ("female genitals, especially with a display of pubic hair") is 1927 British slang, transferred from earlier meaning "a bearded man" (1910), from the appearance of split beaver pelts.
The lifespan of a wild beaver is approximately 10 years. Beavers create dams to raise water levels so they can build their homes, or lodges, in the water. By effectively creating an island with an underwater entrance, they are protected from many predators.
Animals get energy by eating plants or other animals. ... Beaver like to eat the bark and twigs of poplar, aspen, birch, willow and maple trees. They also eat water plants such as water lily and cattail. Predators of beaver are coyotes, foxes, bobcats, otters and great-horned owls.
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Some animal species strictly consume plant matter, some are big meat eaters and others dine on a healthy mix of both. Beavers are a prime example of those that eat vegetation only, the herbivores. Beavers are large rodents that definitely enjoy vegetation -- including twigs, foliage, bark and aquatic plants.
Some of these rodents' most common predators include fishers, coyotes, hawks, brown and black bears, northern river otters, lynx, eagles, mountain lions, owls, wolverines and wolves. People are also serious threats to North American beavers, as they sometimes hunt them for their skins and fur.
Rodentia - gophers, mice, rats, squirrels, porcupines, beavers, chipmunks. This is the largest order of mammals. There are over 1,500 species of rodents. Rodents are found all over the world, except for in Antarctica, New Zealand and some ocean islands.