# 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! - **Category:** [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/mammal) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Habitat:** Wetlands - **Also known as:** Canadian Beaver, Water Beaver ![Beavers](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/American_Beaver.jpg&width=800) Photo: Steve from Washington, DC, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:American_Beaver.jpg) ## 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. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Mammalia - **Order:** Rodentia - **Family:** Castoridae ## 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 - **Master Builder:** Beavers can construct complex dams and lodges because of their strong teeth and instinct to engineer waterways. - **Underwater Explorer:** Beavers can stay submerged for long periods because of their large lungs and ability to slow their heart rate. - **Tree Chopper:** Beavers have incredibly strong incisor teeth that help them fell trees to build their homes and access food. - **Water Shaper:** 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 - **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](https://www.snappit.app/explore/quaking-aspen) (*Populus tremuloides*) — Aspen bark is a critical food source and building material. - **Shelter:** 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](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Tool Use](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/tool-use): This trait describes organisms that manipulate external objects to achieve a specific goal. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/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. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. - [Aquatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aquatic): Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands. ## Collections - [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/mammals) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Beavers are usually shy, but it's best to watch them from a distance and not disturb their homes. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Beavers? Compare ears, muzzle, tail, feet and coat markings. Size is hard to judge without something nearby for scale, and young mammals may not have adult coloring yet. Mammal Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Beavers? 74-140 cm ### How much does Beavers weigh? 11-32 kg ### How long does Beavers live? 10-15 years ### How fast can Beavers move? 8 km/h ### What does Beavers eat? Beavers are vegetarians that enjoy eating bark, leaves, and roots from trees and plants. ### Where is Beavers usually found? Wetlands ### How does Beavers hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Oklahoma Aquarium](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/oklahoma-aquarium) — Oklahoma, US · Zoo - [Orange County Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/orange-county-zoo) — California, US · Zoo - [Optikpark Rathenow](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/optikpark-rathenow) — Brandenburg, DE · Park - [Porpoise Bay Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/porpoise-bay-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park - [Leschi Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/leschi-park) — Washington, US · Park [View all places to see Beavers](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/beavers) ## More Mammals - [Eastern Fox Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-fox-squirrel) (*Sciurus niger*) - [Eastern Cottontail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-cottontail) (*Sylvilagus floridanus*) - [Eastern Chipmunk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-chipmunk) (*Tamias striatus*) - [California Ground Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/california-ground-squirrel) (*Otospermophilus beecheyi*) --- Source: [Beavers: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/beavers)