They create their own habitat or change the existing one, instead of using what is available. What distinguishes beavers from other animals is their hardworking nature. Thank you.īeing the largest and widespread rodent in the USA, the beaver inflicts a considerable damage to human property and infrastructure. Until then, we hope you still enjoy this article and all the information it has to offer.

However, we are working on making these items available to you from a different vendor. The sharp population decline is attributed to extensive hunting for fur and glands that are known to have medicinal properties as well as pest control due to the beaver’s tendency to interfere with other land uses.Nissem Abdeljelil Updated: This article was reviewed April 2022, and due to Amazon’s new policies for trap sales some of the trap links are unavailable. North American Beavers were once estimated to number more than 60 million but are currently estimated to number between 6-10 million. The North American beaver population has dropped drastically over the years. North American beavers are found in forested parts of Canada, the United States, and northern Mexico. During winter the wet walls of the lodge freeze and make the lodge almost impossible for predators to penetrate. The extended family consists of an adult breeding pair, offspring of the year usually known as kits and yearlings of the previous litter. Each lodge is home to an extended family of about eight beavers. Lodges are usually 10 feet high and 20 feet across the base with some being as large as 16 feet high and 39 feet wide. Beavers built dams a short distance away from their lodges to increase the depth of the water around the lodges and to deter predators. In large rivers, beavers excavate bank dens that have underwater entrances beneath the roots of trees. They live in distinctive dome-shaped island lodges or bank lodges in small rivers marshes and lakes. Beavers are often referred to as ecological engineers due to their ability to alter the landscape they live in by building dams spanning many hectares from mud, stone, and branches. Beavers are primarily nocturnal and typically feed on buds, leaves, twigs, pond vegetation and the cambium layer beneath the bark.īeavers build their homes in rivers, streams, marshes, ponds, and lake shorelines. The tail is flat, scaly and paddle-shaped and is adapted to suit the amphibious nature of the rodent as well as for storage of fat during winter. The beaver has dense brown or grayish fur and a distinctive tail which measures about 18 inches long and 5 inches wide. Beavers also have chiseled-shaped incisors that have orange outer enamel containing iron which makes them strong and resistant to acid unlike the enamel in the teeth of other animals. The hind feet are webbed which enable the beavers to swim with ease. Beavers have a stout body, short legs, and a small blunt head. Physical Characteristics of Beaversīeavers measure around 31 inches in length and weigh between 35-66 pounds. The deep waters of the dams are used to protect the colonies from predators as well as move food and building material. Beavers are the second largest rodents in the world and are known for building lodges, canals, and dams across waterways. These animals are thus found in three continents namely Europe, Asia, and North America. There are two species of beaver, the North American beaver ( Castor canadensis) which is native to North America, and the Eurasian beaver ( Castor fiber) which is native to Eurasia. The beaver is a large semiaquatic rodent.

Are beavers nocturnal