Species Spotlight: Beaver
Looks Like: The Beaver is a large, unmistakable rodent that can reach up to 26–65 pounds and features a broad, flattened tail that can reach 9–10 inches long and 6 inches wide. Beavers have yellow-brown to almost black fur, webbed feet and prominent orange teeth.
Lives In: Beavers are the engineers of the animal world and can change the landscape to suit their habitat needs by building dams and directing water retention. This creates ponds deep enough to not freeze solid in the winter, and for beavers to build their characteristic stick lodges in the middle, usually with underwater entrances to protect their family units or colony.
Niche: Beavers are herbivores, eating tree and water plant parts. As winter approaches, they will collect and cache food underwater near the entrance of their lodge in a “feedpile” to use during winter. Beavers can be prey for coyote, fisher, bear and bobcat when they leave the pond in search of food. Kits can also be prey for mink, otter, fox and great-horned owl.
Threats: By the beginning of the 20th century, beavers were almost extirpated due to trapping for their valuable fur and draining of lands for farming.
Frequency: Because of wetland protection and open space conservation efforts, the beaver population has rebounded across North America.
Reproduction: Beavers reproduce once a year with a lifelong breeding partner. Young are born in May or June in a litter of 2 to 7 kits.
Fun Fact: In addition to being used for swimming, the beaver’s tail can serve multiple purposes. The tissue beneath the scaly outer layer, which is actually compressed hairs, serves as a thermoregulatory tool. They can minimize heat loss by shunting blood away from the surface of the tail. The tail can also be used to communicate, and “tail-slapping” is thought to be a way for beavers to warn other beavers away from their territory, or to frighten would-be predators away.
