Beavers

Castoridae

Beavers are large, furry animals known for building dams in rivers and streams. They have strong teeth that help them chew through wood, making them great builders in nature!

Habitat: Wetlands

Appearance

The Beaver has a stout, robust body covered in thick, reddish-brown to dark brown fur, with lighter underparts. It is easily recognized by its large, flat, scale-covered tail and small, webbed hind feet, which are perfect for swimming.

KingdomAnimaliaPhylumChordataClassMammaliaOrderRodentiaFamilyCastoridae

Beavers

Interesting facts

A beaver's front teeth grow constantly and must be worn down by chewing wood!

Beavers build two types of homes: lodges in water and burrows in riverbanks!

Their unique flat, scaly tail helps them balance, steer, and even store fat!

They have a clear inner eyelid, like goggles, to see clearly underwater!

Special abilities

Beavers can construct complex dams and lodges because of their strong teeth and instinct to engineer waterways.

Beavers can stay submerged for long periods because of their large lungs and ability to slow their heart rate.

Beavers have incredibly strong incisor teeth that help them fell trees to build their homes and access food.

Beavers can create their own wetlands by building dams, which helps them create safe, deep-water habitats.

Measurements & details

Length: 74-140 cm
Weight: 11-32 kg
Lifespan: 10-15 years
Top Speed: 8 km/h
Litter Size: 1-8
Gestation: 100-128 days

Diet & Feeding

Beavers are vegetarians that enjoy eating bark, leaves, and roots from trees and plants.

Primary Foods

tree bark
leaves
twigs
roots
aquatic plants

Foraging Method

Foraging

Ecological connections

eaten by

Grey Wolf

Canis lupus

Wolves are a primary predator of adult beavers.

depends on

Quaking Aspen

Populus tremuloides

Aspen bark is a critical food source and building material.

shelters

Mallard

Anas platyrhynchos

Mallards thrive in wetlands created by beaver dams.

eaten by

American Black Bear

Ursus americanus

Bears sometimes hunt beavers, especially the young.

Traits

Furry

Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur.

Social

Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring.

Herbivorous

This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material.

Tool Use

This trait describes organisms that manipulate external objects to achieve a specific goal.

Forest

Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.

Wetland

This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs.