Learn

Beavers are famous for their buck teeth and their ability to chop down trees. But did you know that the beaver is one of the few animals, other than man, that can change its environment? They can build a dam in a stream that can slow the flow of the water and cause it to back up into fields and forests.

Beavers can be found in North America and parts of Europe and Asia. They average three feet in length and their tail adds another foot. On land, these rodents move very awkwardly and are an easy target for wolves and bears. But once in the water, these bulky critters become gracefuland strong swimmers.

Built for a life in the water, beavers have “guard hairs” which are long hairs that help protect its thick underfur. This coat allows the beaver to stay warm, even in icy waters. A beaver is able to clean andcomb its fur by using the two split claws on each back foot. When it combs itself, oil produced by certain glands in its body help make the coat waterproof.

The hind feet of the beaver also serve as swim fins. They are large and webbed like a ducks’ and this helps push it through the water. They can go as fast as five miles an hour. A wide, scaly tail acts like aship’s rudder by steering the beaver in any direction. They also slap their tails on the water to warn other beavers of danger.

Beavers can stay underwater for as long as 15 minutes. They have a special set of clear eyelids that can slide over their eyes to protectthem underwater. This acts just like goggles! They can also press together flaps of skin located behind their front teeth. This will close the mouth but still allow for chewing on wood underwater without any water getting onto their mouth.

Beavers also use their wide tails when they cut down trees. They will stand on their hind legs and lean back on their tail, then tilt theirhead to the side and start chipping away at the trunk with their sharp teeth. Once the tree has fallen, they will trim off the branches and cut the tree into smaller more useable pieces. The tree is either dragged to the water or is floated down little canals dug by the beaver. The tree trunk is anchored into the muddy bottom of a streamwith rocks or mud and stick branches are placed between the logs. As the dam or lodge gets bigger, a pond will form behind it. This pond must be deep enough so that it will not freeze in winter since thebeaver must be able to swim under the layer of ice.

Beavers often build their home in the middle of ponds. As the lodge grows, it will look like a dome-shaped object sticking out of thewater. They swim underwater and gnaw openings into the center for a living space, just above the water line. The lodge is then sealed withmud but an opening is always left for a vent. On cold, frosty days you might be able to see the warm air from the inside the lodge rising through the vents!