They are widespread, common in many parts of their range, and their populations are stable. Today, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), beavers are not considered endangered. Beaver hats were once the height of fashion, and castoreum was used in medicine, food and perfumes. Kingdom: Animalia Subkingdom: Bilateria Infrakingdom: Deuterostomia Phylum: Chordata Subphylum: Vertebrata Infraphylum: Gnathostomata Superclass: Tetrapoda Class: Mammalia Subclass: Theria Infraclass: Eutheria Order: Rodentia Suborder: Castorimorpha Family: Castoridae Genus: Castor Species: Castor canadensis (American beaver), Castor fiber (Eurasian beaver) Conservation statusīeavers were once hunted almost to extinction because they were valued for their pelts, castoreum and meat. The taxonomy of the beaver, according to the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS): (Image credit: keylab007 Shutterstock) Classification/taxonomy At 3 years, they find a monogamous mate.īeavers use their large upper incisors to cut down trees for their lodges and dams. American beavers are usually weaned in around two weeks.Īt around 2 years of age, the kits leave the lodge and make one of their own. They give birth to one to four kits that weigh around 9 to 21 ounces (250 to 600 g). Eurasian kits are usually weaned after six weeks of life.Īmerican beavers have a gestation period of around 105 to 107 days. Then, they give birth to one to six babies that weigh around 8.1 to 22 ounces (230 to 630 grams), according to ADW. The Eurasian beaver has a gestation period of around 60 to 128 days. One lodge is often the home for a monogamous couple, their young and the yearlings born the year before.īeavers mate during the winter, from January to March. Offspringīeavers are very social and live in groups called colonies. Beavers eat leaves, roots and bark from aspens, willows, maples and poplar trees. Unlike other mammals, beavers can digest cellulose, which is a major component of their diet, according to ADW. Chesek.) Dietīeavers don’t just build homes from trees, they also eat them. Top hats made of beaver pelts were the height of fashion in the 19th century. Over time, abandoned dams decay, and meadows appear. Flooded timber dies off and a forest becomes an open water ecosystem. The chemical changes alter the type of invertebrates, and the new water source attracts new species of birds, fish and amphibians. As sediment and debris build up, carbon increases and nitrogen decreases. Dams prevent erosion and raise the water table, which helps purify the water as silt builds up and breaks down toxins, according to ADW. Dams alter the flow of rivers and can flood hundreds of acres. Beavers also dig canals to bring water from large bodies of water to their feeding area.īeavers have a tremendous impact on ecosystems. Dams can be several meters in length and up to 6.5 feet (2 m) high, according to ADW. Dams are created by weaving branches together, felling trees by cutting them down with their teeth, and waterproofing the construction with mud. Beaver create dams to make ponds, their favorite place to live. They spend most of their time eating and building. Many lodges have an underwater backdoor for instant swimming access.īeavers are primarily nocturnal. Lodges are built on the banks of ponds, on islands or on lake shores, just barely above water level. They that can be up to 8 feet (2.4 m) wide and up to 3 feet (1 m) high inside, according to ADW. Lodges are little dome-shaped houses made from woven sticks, grasses and moss plastered with mud. Now, they only live in small numbers throughout southern Scandinavia, Germany, France, Poland, and central Russia due to overhunting.Ī beaver’s home is called a lodge. Eurasian beavers once lived all over Europe and Asia. American beavers live throughout North America, but stay clear of deserts and the far northern areas of Canada. They live in or around freshwater ponds, lakes, rivers, marshes and swamps. ) HabitatĪll beavers need water to survive. (Image credit: Wildlife Conservation Society. They provide critical habitat to some migratory songbirds. Beaver lodges, like this one in Wyoming, can help preserve local watersheds and habitat for wildlife.
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