Beavers are such animals, everything about him. Common beaver. Where does the beaver live?

However, in colloquial language the word beaver widely used as a synonym for beaver(How fox And fox, ferret And ferret).

Origin

The beaver has beautiful fur, which consists of coarse guard hairs and very thick silky underfur. The fur color ranges from light chestnut to dark brown, sometimes black. The tail and limbs are black. Shedding occurs once a year, at the end of spring, but continues almost until winter. In the anal area there are paired glands, wen and the beaver stream itself, which secretes a strong-smelling secret - the beaver stream. The prevailing opinion about the use of wen as a lubricant for fur from getting wet is wrong. The secretion of the wen performs a communicative function, exclusively carrying information about the owner (gender, age). The smell of a beaver stream serves as a guide to other beavers about the border of the territory of a beaver settlement; it is unique, like fingerprints. The secretion of the wen, used in conjunction with the stream, allows you to keep the beaver tag in a “working” state for longer due to its oily structure, which evaporates much longer than the secretion of the beaver stream.

Spreading

In early historical times, the common beaver was distributed throughout the forest-meadow zone of Europe and Asia, but due to intensive hunting, by the beginning of the 20th century, the beaver was practically exterminated in most of its range. The beaver's current range is largely the result of acclimatization and reintroduction efforts. In Europe, it lives in the Scandinavian countries, the lower reaches of the Rhone (France), the Elbe basin (Germany), the Vistula basin (Poland), in the forest and partly forest-steppe zones of the European part of Russia. In Russia, the beaver is also found in the Northern Trans-Urals. There are scattered habitats of the common beaver in the upper reaches of the Yenisei, Kuzbass, Baikal region, Khabarovsk Territory, and Kamchatka. In addition, it is found in Mongolia (Urungu and Bimen rivers) and in Northeast China (Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region).

Lifestyle

Beaver lodge

In early historical times, beavers everywhere inhabited the forest, taiga and forest-steppe zones of Eurasia, along the floodplains of rivers reaching the forest-tundra to the north, and semi-deserts to the south. Beavers prefer to settle along the banks of slow-flowing rivers, oxbow lakes, ponds and lakes, reservoirs, irrigation canals and quarries. Avoid wide and fast rivers, as well as reservoirs that freeze to the bottom in winter. For beavers, it is important to have trees and shrubs of soft deciduous trees along the banks of a reservoir, as well as an abundance of aquatic and coastal herbaceous vegetation that makes up their diet. Beavers are excellent swimmers and divers. Large lungs and liver provide them with such reserves of air and arterial blood that beavers can stay under water for 10-15 minutes, swimming up to 750 m during this time. On land, beavers are quite clumsy.

Beavers live alone or in families. A complete family consists of 5-8 individuals: a married couple and young beavers - the offspring of the past and current years. A family plot is sometimes occupied by the family for many generations. A small pond is occupied by one family or single beaver. On larger bodies of water, the length of the family plot along the shore ranges from 0.3 to 2.9 km. Beavers rarely move more than 200 m away from water. The length of the area depends on the amount of food. In areas rich in vegetation, areas may touch each other and even intersect. Beavers mark the boundaries of their territory with the secretion of their musk glands - beaver stream. Marks are applied to special mounds of mud, silt and branches 30 cm high and up to 1 m wide. Beavers communicate with each other using odorous marks, poses, tail strikes on the water and whistle-like calls. When in danger, a swimming beaver slaps its tail loudly on the water and dives. The clap serves as an alarm signal to all beavers within earshot.

Beaver trail

Beavers are active at night and at dusk. In summer, they leave their homes at dusk and work until 4-6 am. In the fall, when the preparation of feed for the winter begins, the working day lengthens to 10-12 hours. In winter, activity decreases and shifts to daylight hours; At this time of year, beavers hardly appear on the surface. At temperatures below −20 °C, animals remain in their homes.

Huts and dams

Beavers live in burrows or huts. The entrance to a beaver's home is always located under water. Beavers dig burrows in steep banks; they are a complex labyrinth with 4-5 entrances. The walls and ceiling of the hole are carefully leveled and compacted. The living chamber inside the hole is located at a depth of no more than 1 m. The width of the living chamber is a little more than a meter, the height is 40-50 centimeters. The floor must be 20 centimeters above the water level. If the water in the river rises, the beaver also raises the floor, scraping soil from the ceiling. Sometimes the ceiling of the hole is destroyed and in its place a flooring of branches and brushwood is built, turning the hole into a transitional type of shelter - a semi-hut. In the spring, during high water, beavers build nests on the tops of bushes from branches and twigs with a bedding of dry grass.

Traces of beaver work

Huts are built in places where digging a hole is impossible - on low, swampy banks and in shallows. Beavers rarely begin building new housing before the end of August. The huts have the appearance of a cone-shaped pile of brushwood, held together by silt and earth, up to 1-3 m high and up to 10-12 m in diameter. The walls of the hut are carefully coated with silt and clay, so that it turns into a real fortress, impregnable to predators; air enters through the ceiling. Despite popular belief, beavers apply clay using their front paws, not their tail (the tail serves only as a rudder). Inside the hut there are manholes into the water and a platform rising above the water level. With the first frost, beavers additionally insulate their huts with a new layer of clay. In winter, the temperature in the huts remains above zero, the water in the holes does not freeze, and beavers have the opportunity to go out into the under-ice layer of the reservoir. In severe frosts there is steam above the huts, which is a sign of habitation. Sometimes in the same beaver settlement there are both huts and burrows. Beavers are very clean and never litter their homes with leftover food or excrement.

In reservoirs with changing water levels, as well as on small streams and rivers, beaver families build their famous dams (dams). This allows them to raise, maintain and regulate the water level in a reservoir. Dams are built below the beaver town from tree trunks, branches and brushwood, held together by clay, silt, pieces of driftwood and other materials that beavers bring in their teeth or front paws. If the reservoir has a fast current and there are stones at the bottom, they are also used as building material. The weight of stones can reach 15-18 kg.

Beaver Dam (Vologda Region)

For the construction of the dam, places where trees grow closer to the edge of the shore are selected. Construction begins with beavers vertically sticking branches and trunks into the bottom, strengthening the gaps with branches and reeds, filling the voids with silt, clay and stones. They often use a tree that has fallen into the river as a supporting frame, gradually covering it on all sides with building material. Sometimes branches in beaver dams take root, giving them additional strength. The usual length of the dam is 20-30 m, width at the base is 4-6 m, at the crest - 1-2 m; the height can reach 4.8 m, although usually 2 m. The old dam can easily support the weight of a person. The record in the construction of dams belongs, however, not to ordinary beavers, but to Canadian beavers - the dam they built on the river. Jefferson (Montana), reached a length of 700 m. The shape of the dam depends on the speed of the current - where it is slow, the dam is almost straight; on fast rivers it is curved towards the flow. If the current is very strong, beavers build small additional dams further up the river. The dam is often provided with a drain to prevent it from being breached by floods. On average, it takes a beaver family about a week to build a 10 m dam. Beavers carefully monitor the safety of the dam and patch it if it leaks. Sometimes several families working in shifts participate in the construction.

Beaver Dam (Northern California)

A major contribution to the study of beaver behavior during dam construction was made by the Swedish ethologist Wilson () and the French zoologist Richard (,). It turned out that the main stimulus for construction is the sound of flowing water. Possessing excellent hearing, beavers accurately determined where the sound had changed, which meant changes had occurred in the structure of the dam. At the same time, they did not even pay attention to the lack of water - the beavers reacted in the same way to the sound of water recorded on a tape recorder. Further experiments showed that sound, apparently, is not the only stimulus. Thus, beavers clogged a pipe laid through a dam with silt and branches, even if it ran along the bottom and was “inaudible.” At the same time, it remains not entirely clear how beavers distribute responsibilities among themselves during collective work.

A canal dug by beavers

To build and prepare food, beavers cut down trees, gnawing them at the base, gnawing off branches, then dividing the trunk into parts. A beaver fells an aspen with a diameter of 5-7 cm in 5 minutes; a tree with a diameter of 40 cm is felled and cut up overnight, so that by morning only a sanded stump and a pile of shavings remains at the place where the animal works. The trunk of a tree gnawed by a beaver takes on a characteristic “hourglass” shape. A beaver gnaws, rising on its hind legs and leaning on its tail. Its jaws act like a saw: to fell a tree, the beaver rests its upper incisors on its bark and begins to quickly move its lower jaw from side to side, making 5-6 movements per second. The beaver's incisors are self-sharpening: only the front side is covered with enamel, the back side consists of less hard dentin. When a beaver chews on something, the dentin wears down faster than the enamel, so the leading edge of the tooth remains sharp all the time.

Beavers eat some of the branches of a fallen tree on the spot, while others are demolished and towed or floated across the water to their home or to the site of dam construction. Every year, walking the same routes for food and building materials, they trample paths on the shore that are gradually filled with water - beaver canals. They float wood food along them. The length of the channel reaches hundreds of meters with a width of 40-50 cm and a depth of up to 1 m. Beavers always keep the channels clean.

Nutrition

A tree nibbled by a beaver

Beaver "dining room" in an aspen forest. Ivanovo region, Savinsky district

Beavers are strictly herbivorous. They feed on the bark and shoots of trees, preferring aspen, willow, poplar and birch, as well as various herbaceous plants (water lily, egg capsule, iris, cattail, reed, etc., up to 300 items). The abundance of softwood trees is a necessary condition for their habitat. Hazel, linden, elm, bird cherry and some other trees are of minor importance in their diet. Alder and oak are not eaten, but are used for buildings. The daily amount of food accounts for up to 20% of a beaver's weight. Large teeth and a powerful bite allow beavers to easily cope with solid plant food. Cellulose-rich foods are digested with the participation of intestinal microflora. Typically, the beaver consumes only a few tree species; To switch to a new diet, it requires an adaptation period, during which microorganisms adapt to the new diet.

In summer, the proportion of herbaceous food in the beaver diet increases. In autumn, beavers prepare wood food for the winter. Beavers store their reserves in water, where they retain their nutritional qualities until February. The volume of reserves can be huge - up to 60-70 cubic meters per family. To prevent food from freezing into the ice, beavers usually heat it below the water level under steep overhanging banks. Thus, even after the pond freezes, food remains available to the beavers under the ice.

Reproduction

Beaver with cub

Beavers are monogamous and the female is dominant. Offspring are born once a year. The mating season lasts from mid-January to the end of February; Mating occurs in the water under the ice. Pregnancy lasts 105-107 days. Cubs (1-6 per litter) will be born in April - May. They are semi-sighted, well-furred, and weigh on average 0.45 kg. After 1-2 days they can already swim; the mother trains the beaver cubs by literally pushing them into the underwater corridor. At the age of 3-4 weeks, beaver cubs switch to feeding on leaves and soft stems of grass, but the mother continues to feed them with milk until 3 months. Grown-up young animals usually do not leave their parents for another 2 years. Only at 2 years old do young beavers reach sexual maturity and move out.

In captivity, a beaver lives up to 35 years, in the wild 10-17 years.

The impact of beavers on ecology

The appearance of beavers in rivers and especially their construction of dams has a beneficial effect on the ecology of aquatic and riverine biotopes. Numerous mollusks and aquatic insects settle in the resulting spill, which in turn attract muskrats and waterfowl. Birds on their feet bring fish eggs. The fish, once in favorable conditions, begin to reproduce. Trees felled by beavers serve as food for hares and many ungulates, which gnaw the bark from the trunks and branches. The sap flowing from undermined trees in the spring is loved by butterflies and ants, followed by birds. Beavers are protected by muskrats; muskrats often live in their huts along with their owners. Dams help purify water, reducing its turbidity; silt lingers in them.

At the same time, beaver dams can cause damage to human buildings. There are known cases when spills caused by beavers flooded and washed away streets and railroad tracks and even caused crashes.

Population status and economic importance

Beavers have long been hunted for their beautiful and durable fur. In addition to valuable fur, they produce beaver stream, used in perfumery and medicine. Beaver meat is edible; however, they are natural carriers of salmonellosis pathogens. (It is curious that in the Catholic tradition, beaver meat is considered lean, since the beaver, according to church canons, was considered a fish due to its scaly tail.)

As a result of predatory fishing, the common beaver was on the verge of extinction: by the beginning of the 20th century, only 6-8 isolated populations remained (in the Rhone, Elbe, Don, Dnieper basins, in the Northern Trans-Urals, the upper reaches of the Yenisei), with a total of 1200 animals. To preserve this valuable animal, a number of effective measures have been taken to protect and restore numbers in European countries. They began with a ban on beaver hunting, established in 1845 in Norway. By 1998, the beaver population in Europe and Russia was estimated at 430,000.

The common beaver has a minimum risk status on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The West Siberian and Tuvan subspecies of the common beaver are listed in the Red Book of Russia. The main threat to it at present comes from land reclamation measures, water pollution and the construction of hydroelectric power stations. Detergents that pollute water bodies wash away the natural protective layer and deteriorate the quality of beaver fur.

Beavers in Russia

where the shore of the Grand Duke is adjacent to the boyars, here the beavers drive. And the beavers of the Grand Duke and the boyars and divide the beavers in the old way, but the boyars do not keep nets and rods and sedges and do not set up logs and koshes. And where the prince’s or boyar’s shore is special, but the Grand Duke’s shore did not come, then they set up logs and ladles, and keep dogs, and catch beavers as best they can.

The traces or tools left behind for catching beavers imposed an obligation on the verv (community) to either look for the thief or pay a fine. In those days, beavers were caught with nets and traps. Later, by the 17th century, the number of beavers had already noticeably decreased, and their fishing moved mainly to Siberia. In 1635, it was already forbidden to set traps for beavers. In the Trade Book of the 16th century, the usual price for a black beaver is 2 rubles. Judging by the degree of collection of duties (1586, Novgorod), the beaver was approximately 1.3 times more valuable

In the squad of rodents beaver considered almost its largest representative. In the Eastern Hemisphere, it has no equal in size. But in the West, only the capybara can compare with them - a mammal that is the champion in size among the rodents of the entire planetary fauna.

As for beavers, those that live in Eurasia are a meter in size, and even more, in size, while their weight reaches 32 kg. However, in Canada there are representatives of the beaver family that are much more massive. The weight of older individuals can reach 45 kg.

The photo shows a common beaver

And not that beavers New World fish are fundamentally larger (usually just the opposite), they simply grow not only in youth, but throughout their lives, and therefore in old age they are able to boast record body weights. Moreover, in the competition between the sexes of these animals, living on both of these continents, it is the female specimens that dominate in everything, including size and massiveness.

It is also interesting that the ancestors of modern beavers - creatures that, according to various sources, originated in Asia or North in the late Eocene era (40 million years ago) and existed on Earth later, had almost three meters in size and a mass of about 350 kg (this is eloquently evidenced by fossil specimens of those times, studied by paleontologists).

The modern beaver has the following appearance features. Its body looks squat due to disproportionately short legs, and the limbs themselves have five fingers equipped with powerful claws. The animal's head is small, its muzzle is elongated, its forehead is sloping.

The eyes stand out with small black circles, as does a fairly large nose. Beavers' ears are wide, short, as if cropped. These are semi-aquatic creatures, and therefore by nature they have many details of appearance that help them to have a comfortable existence in this environment.

And first of all, these are membranes on the paws and a paddle-shaped long tail, covered with sparse hairs and horny scales, as well as fur that is almost completely resistant to getting wet. The latter has a thick soft undercoat, on top of which thicker and coarser hair grows. This fur is shiny and incredibly beautiful; it can be black, chestnut of various shades or dark brown.

Types of beavers

The beaver family in prehistoric times was represented much more extensively than it is now. But today it includes only two species that we have already mentioned above, because they are divided precisely by habitat.

River beaver

These are the Eurasian and Canadian varieties. It remains only to describe them in more detail, mentioning that both of them are considered relics. Today, as geneticists have found out, beavers have no close relatives among rodents, although previously they were classified as a suborder of squirrels.

1. River (ordinary) beaver - this is how the Eurasian species is usually called. It is found in Russia and is also an inhabitant of Mongolia. It usually settles near bodies of water in the forest-steppe zone (lakes, ponds or quiet rivers), the banks of which are rich in woody vegetation.
2. The Canadian beaver lives in southern Canada and some US states. Interestingly, not so long ago the species penetrated (most likely, was introduced) into Scandinavia. There it took root and began to further spread to the East. Representatives of this, like the previous variety, settle near water and are unable to exist without it. It is in this element that they spend a huge part of their lives.

In terms of external features, members of both species are basically similar. But the inhabitants of the Old World have larger heads and less round shapes; the muzzle, in comparison with the indicated relatives, is somewhat shorter, the undercoat is not as rich, the tail is narrow and the legs are smaller. The body of the American inhabitants is less elongated, the ears are larger, and the legs are longer, which allows them to move on their hind limbs. They are brownish-red or blackish in color.

Canadian beaver

In the analysis, genetic differences also turned out to be significant in these two species. The numbers of their chromosomes (48 in rivers and 40 in Canadians) do not match, which explains the impossibility of crossing these two seemingly related species, although scientists have made unsuccessful attempts several times.

A century ago, these representatives of the fauna were under serious threat of extinction. Russian beavers were no exception. But measures to protect them were taken and turned out to be effective. Now these animals inhabit the vast territory of our country, starting from and ending with Kamchatka.

Lifestyle and habitat

The area where beavers have settled can be easily distinguished from others by very noticeable features. In the places where these animals carry out their life activities, there are always many fallen trees with fresh cuts in the shape of a cone. Hardworking creatures need such material for construction and arrangement. And, of course, an important condition for the existence of beavers in a certain area is the presence of a body of water: a lake, reservoir, river or at least a stream.

These semi-aquatic creatures fundamentally cannot live without water, but without air they can survive for almost a quarter of an hour. Therefore, in case of any danger, for example, hiding from predators: a wolf or a wolverine, these creatures go under the water, where they sit out. They live in large, friendly communities-families, and their members, if necessary, can report impending trouble to their fellow tribesmen. At such moments animal beaver vigorously slaps the water with its tail. And this signal is immediately perceived by everyone from his company who is within the reservoir.

These creatures work tirelessly in the summer, but they are active at dusk, working all night until dawn, and they rest during the day. Their activities consist of cutting down trees and building. And in this they are helped by their unusually sharp teeth, which can easily crush wood. A beaver can fell a thin tree within half an hour, but sometimes it works on very large and thick ones for several nights in a row. At the same time, his efforts are not only visible, but also heard, and the characteristic sounds of a beaver’s work can be heard for a hundred meters around.

The huts of these animals provide them with a reliable shelter from bad weather and enemies. To build their homes, such creatures dig holes, choosing for this high banks in places where the soil is quite hard. Beaver burrows have the structure of a complex labyrinth. The tunnels in them end in peculiar, large and small “rooms” and have underwater entrance holes. The walls of the dwelling are strengthened with clay and silt, while the bottom, that is, a kind of floor, is covered with wood shavings.

These industrious animals also build houses, which are creations made of branches, decorated with silt and clay. An impressive architectural masterpiece is beaver dam. Such structures are usually built on rivers, and always somewhat downstream from the settlements of these animals. The point here is to promote the flooding of the river and prevent it from shallowing in the immediate vicinity of beaver dwellings.

Beavers build dams from trees

And this is very conducive to the accumulation of food, and also increases the volume of water flooding in areas occupied by animals, which is an effective measure to increase the safety of living. Beavers take full rest from their labors in winter, spending the entire specified unfavorable period in their hut in a semi-sleepy state. They sometimes go outside, but only to have a snack.

On the one hand, it turns out that beavers greatly harm nature. However, they also bring great benefits to the ecosystem. In places where dams are built and floods occur, a lot of fish breed, aquatic insects reproduce well, and vast wetlands are formed.

These animals, of course, destroy a significant number of trees, but they mainly cut down only those that grow close to water. They don't pretend to be more. Beavers successfully use the trunks of fallen trees to build dams, but they gnaw off branches, various natural protrusions, leaves and bark.

Nutrition

These animals are exclusively herbivores. However, their diet cannot be called poor. Zoologists studying their life and feeding methods claim that their menu includes about three hundred different plants. The availability of rich and varied food is another criterion according to which these animals act when choosing their place of settlement. Consuming bark while working, they love to feast on willow, linden, aspen, birch, poplar, alder and the waste of many other trees. They also eat sorrel, nettles, sedge, reeds, and are incredibly fond of water lilies.

Beavers are very economical, care about the well-being of family members, and therefore make numerous reserves for the winter. They carefully and painstakingly place tree branches on the bottom of the reservoir, where they create a kind of “cellar.” A huge family of beavers is capable of storing more than a dozen cubic meters of such food for the winter. Sometimes it happens that the contents of the pantry are carried away by the river. And then the animals have to leave their cozy shelters and go out into the cold in search of food. This is not only unpleasant, but also dangerous, because in such a hungry time, it is easiest to become prey for predators, for example wolves.

People can also be dangerous for these hardworking and harmless animals. Beaver hunting officially begins in Russia in late autumn and continues until early spring. Fans of this activity, of which there are quite a lot, notice that these creatures are extremely careful. It is best to hunt them armed with a gun.

If you use a trap to catch animals, their valuable fur can be seriously damaged. The meat of these animals is red in color and is considered acceptable for consumption. It tastes like hare. However, it has a peculiar taste, and therefore special seasonings are used to prepare it.

The skins of killed animals are often sold to furriers. Beaver fur coat considered luxury, looks elegant and can be very warm. It is believed that such high-quality products, subject to all storage and wearing rules, can last at least a couple of decades. Beavers have been hunted since ancient times for their meat and warm fur. But besides this, the so-called beaver stream. What it is?

The fact is that these animals have a special gland located in the anal bodily area. Outwardly, these are like two bags connected to each other, producing a special secret. This substance is extremely odorous, and therefore beavers use it to mark their territory. However, people even in ancient times noticed that it has effective healing powers. And modern doctors have only confirmed this assumption.

Reproduction and lifespan

Beavers' mating rituals take place in the second half of winter. And beaver cubs, the number of which can reach up to six, are born after three months (in Canadian beavers, pregnancy lasts longer). These cubs are blind and weigh approximately half a kilo. Then, throughout the warm season, on mother's milk, they quickly gain weight. However, by the time cold weather sets in, the beaver cubs are still not fully mature, and therefore spend the winter together with their parents.

Little beavers

And only when the young animals reach two years of age can they lead an independent existence, as well as search for and develop new territories. It is curious that female beavers, like people, have a manner of carrying their cubs in their arms, or rather, holding them in their front paws. These same limbs are also used by animals when they work, constructing their architectural masterpieces, which is what makes them unique among the animal world.

It is also interesting that the age of these creatures is very easily determined by their teeth. These adaptations given by nature play a vital role in the life of beavers, and therefore have a special structure. For example, the most developed among them are the upper incisors. And the older the individual, the wider its teeth become. The lifespan of these creatures in the wild is approximately known and is about 15 years.

Beavers are one of the most amazing animals on our planet. They are smart, hardworking, clean, and enterprising. Like people, they live in family groups, have complex systems for transmitting information, build dwellings (huts), store food and create transport networks (ponds connected by canals). Would you like to learn more about how these rodents live in their natural habitat? Then this article is for you.

Beavers belong to the family Castaridae, which includes the only genus Castor and only 2 species:

1. common beaver (Castor fiber) (also known as river or eastern beaver);
2. Canadian beaver (aka North American) (Castor canadensis).

Today, North American beavers are found throughout the continent, from the mouth of the Mackenzie River in Canada south to northern Mexico. But it was not always so. People have hunted these animals for centuries for their meat, fur, and “beaver stream.” As a result, at the end of the 19th century, the number of Canadian individuals became critical, and in most of their habitats they were almost completely exterminated, especially in the eastern United States. State and local environmental agencies sounded the alarm, and animals began to be transported from other areas. They were also introduced in Finland, Russia, and a number of Central European countries (Germany, Austria, Poland). One of the largest populations of Canadian rodents today exists in southeastern Finland.

The common beaver in the past lived throughout Europe and Northern Asia, but not all populations were able to survive in the vicinity of humans. By the beginning of the 20th century, only a few relict populations with a total number of 1,200 individuals survived in France, Norway, Germany, Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, China and Mongolia.

As a result of programs for the reintroduction and resettlement of these animals, which began in the first half of the last century, the number of the common beaver began to gradually increase. At the beginning of the 21st century, there were about 500-600 thousand individuals, and their habitat expanded both in Europe and Asia.

Both species are found on the territory of Russia today, although the original inhabitant is only the river beaver. Its range covers almost the entire forest zone of the Russian Federation - from the western borders to the Baikal region and Mongolia, and from the Murmansk region in the north to the Astrakhan region in the south. In addition, this species has acclimatized in Primorye and Kamchatka.

The Canadian beaver appeared in our country in the 50s of the last century, independently populating Karelia and the Leningrad region from the adjacent regions of Finland, and in the 70s this animal was introduced into the Amur River basin and Kamchatka.

Description of the beaver

The appearance of the beaver is very different from the appearance of other representatives of the rodent order, which is explained by the semi-aquatic lifestyle of our hero. From a biologist's point of view, the notable features of the beast are its huge incisors, flat scaly tail and webbed hind feet with a special forked “combing” claw on the second toe, as well as a number of structural features of the pharynx and digestive tract.

Beavers are the most massive rodent fauna of the Old World and the second largest rodents after the South American capybaras. The body of the animal is squat, dense, and has a spindle-shaped shape; its rear part is widened, only at the root of the tail it sharply narrows. Body length is 80 – 120 cm. Adults weigh on average 20-30 kg, rarely the weight can reach 45 kg. The Canadian species is slightly larger in size than the usual.

The relatively small rounded head with a meek and thick neck almost does not turn to the sides. The eyes are small, with a vertical pupil and a transparent nictitating membrane (to protect the eyes under water). The ears are small, barely protruding from the fur. The external auditory openings and nostrils have special muscles that contract when immersed in water. The lip projections can close behind the self-sharpening incisors, isolating the oral cavity, allowing beavers to chew on vegetation underwater without opening their mouths.

Animals' eyes react almost exclusively to movement; poor vision is more than compensated by excellent hearing and smell, which are the main senses on land.

The tail is flat, reaches 30 cm in length, 13 cm in width; in the Canadian beaver it is shorter and wider. The paddle-shaped part of the tail is covered with large horny scales, between which there are sparse hard bristles.

Beaver fur is light brown to black, most often reddish-brown. Sometimes there are piebald individuals with spots of different shades. The undercoat is thick and dark gray. The lower part of the body is more densely pubescent.

It has been noted that the light brown color type is older, it survived the Ice Age, therefore such beavers are better adapted to cold climates, while in more southern populations dark-colored individuals are most often found.

Lifestyle

Beavers constantly live near water. Their favorite habitats are cluttered, slow-flowing or stagnant forest reservoirs. The decisive factor for the settlement of a particular reservoir is the availability of food - trees and shrubs. Willow and aspen forests are more loved by animals. The rodent avoids large rivers with high floods, since its home may be flooded.

Beavers lead a sedentary lifestyle. For most of the year they are active in the twilight-night time, leaving their shelters at sunset and returning at dawn. In winter in northern latitudes, when the dams are covered with ice, the animals remain in huts or under the ice all the time, since the temperature there remains around 0 ° C, while outside it is much colder.

On land, the beaver gives the impression of a slow and clumsy animal when it waddles, relying on large, clubbed hind legs and short front legs. However, in case of danger, he rushes to the water at a gallop.

Among all rodents, our hero is best adapted to movement in water. Its torpedo-shaped body is streamlined, and its fur is waterproof. It slowly swims near the surface of lakes, slowly moving its paws, while its tail serves as a kind of rudder. When diving or swimming at high speed, the rodent sharply swings its tail up and down and at the same time rows with its hind legs.

Like a woodcutter's axe, the front enamel of a rodent's teeth is especially reinforced. The softer back surface grinds down faster, creating a sharp chisel-shaped edge that makes cutting trees easier. With its sharp incisors, the animal can gnaw and knock down a tree up to one meter thick. Like all rodents, beavers have large incisors that grow at the same rate as they wear down.

In the photo, the beaver shows off its unique incisors.

This is what a rodent can do to trees

Dams and huts

Everyone has probably heard about the amazing construction talents of these animals. Thanks to their tirelessness, beavers have learned to adapt the environment to their own needs. The dams they create increase ecological diversity, expand water areas, increase the volume and quality of water, and modify the landscape. A tree that has fallen across the current is usually used as the basis for a dam. It is filled with branches, parts of tree trunks, stones, earth, and vegetation until the length of the dam exceeds 100 meters (the edges of the dam extend far beyond the channel), and the height often reaches three meters. In this case, the difference in water level reaches two meters. It happens that a family builds several dams at once, resulting in a whole cascade of ponds. Rodents are especially zealous in the construction of dams in spring and autumn, although work can continue all year round.

Beaver Dam

Beavers are skilled diggers. They usually dig numerous holes on a family property, which can be either simple tunnels or entire labyrinths leading from the bank of a stream or dam to one or more chambers. In many biotypes, these rodents use burrows as their main shelters.

This is what a beaver's hut looks like

Another option for a coastal dwelling is a hut. Beavers build them in places where making burrows is impossible. Animals use an old stump, low bank or raft as the base of the hut. Externally, such a dwelling is a large pile of branches, pieces of tree trunks, held together by earth, silt, and plant debris. A nesting chamber is set up inside, from where it goes under water. On average, the diameter of the hut reaches 3-4 meters. More complex structures have several chambers at different levels. Huts can be temporary or permanent, used over many years. The latter are constantly being completed and can reach 14 meters in diameter and more than two meters in height.

Among beavers' other construction activities, channel digging is the least difficult. With their front paws they scoop out silt and dirt from the bottom of small streams and swamp paths, throwing them to the sides from their path. The resulting channels allow animals to remain in the water while moving between dams or to feeding areas. Rodents mostly do this in the summer, when the water level is low.

It is worth noting that Canadian beavers are more diligent and active builders than ordinary beavers. Their buildings are more complex and durable, since they actively use stones in construction.

Diet

Beavers are exclusively herbivorous animals. The composition of their food may change seasonally. In spring and summer, the basis of their diet consists of leaves, roots, grasses, and algae. By autumn, they switch to thin branches of trees and shrubs, preferring aspen, willow or alder.

Starting from mid-October, rodents begin to prepare woody food for the winter. These can be thick branches and even parts of the trunks of aspen, willow, bird cherry, alder, birch, as well as a small number of conifers. Animals cut felled trees into small pieces and store them under water in deep places near burrows and huts. Beavers can swim to their supplies underwater without leaving the safety of the dam.

If there is not enough tree food, the animals are content with wetland vegetation. Sometimes raids on nearby gardens and vegetable gardens are possible.

Many European beavers do not store food for the winter. Instead, they also go ashore in search of food in winter.

Castoreum

A characteristic feature of the animals is the presence of a “beaver stream” produced by special glands. It is a complex substance consisting of hundreds of components, including alcohols, phenols, salicylaldehyde and castoramine. The scientific name of this substance is castoreum.

Since ancient times, beaver streams have been attributed supernatural healing properties. In the Y-IY centuries BC. Hippocrates and Herodotus noted its effectiveness in the treatment of certain diseases. And today this substance has found use in folk medicine, but it is mainly used in perfumery.

The beaver itself uses its aromatic secretion for marking purposes. Scent marks are one of the ways our heroes exchange information. Both the Canadian and river species leave scent marks on mounds constructed near the water from silt and plants raised from the bottom of the reservoir.

Family relationships

Most often, beavers live in family groups (colonies), but there are also individuals that prefer a solitary lifestyle. On lands poor in food, the proportion of solitary animals can reach up to 40%.

A family consists of an adult pair, the current year's cubs, last year's cubs, and sometimes one or more juveniles from previous litters. Family sizes can reach 10-12 individuals.

The hierarchy in the colony is built according to age, with the dominant position of the adult couple. Displays of physical aggression are rare, although beavers may have scars on their tails in dense populations. This is the result of fights with strangers near territorial borders.

The pairs of these rodents are permanent and remain throughout the life of the partners. The family group is stable, partly due to the low reproduction rate. They bring one brood per year, in it from 1 to 5 cubs for an ordinary beaver; in a Canadian beaver, fertility is higher - up to 8 cubs. However, most often there are 2-3 cubs in a brood.

The rut begins in January (in the south of the range) and lasts until March. Pregnancy lasts 103-110 days.

Newborns are sighted, densely pubescent, with erupted lower incisors. The mother feeds the babies milk (and it is 4 times fattier than cow's milk) for about 6-8 weeks, although already at the age of two weeks the beavers begin to taste the tender leaves brought by their parents. At the age of 1 month, the younger generation begins to slowly leave the nest and feed on their own.

While the children are very small, the father spends most of his time protecting the family plot: he patrols the borders and leaves scent marks. At this time, the female is busy feeding the babies and caring for them. Babies grow quickly, but they need many months of practice to master the skills of building dams and huts. Their parents teach them to participate in all family activities, including construction.

Usually, young people leave their family and go in search of their future site in the second year and lead a solitary lifestyle until they get a pair.

Beavers reach sexual maturity in the second year of life, but females usually begin breeding at 3-5 years of age.

The maximum life expectancy of the common beaver in nature is 17-18 years, the Canadian beaver is 20 years. However, in natural conditions they rarely live more than 10 years. The maximum age of these rodents recorded in the nursery reached 30 years.

Communication

In addition to marking territory, beavers communicate with each other by flicking their tails across the water. This is usually how adults tell strangers that they have been spotted. A rodent that has invaded an occupied territory makes a response clap, which allows one to assess the seriousness of its intentions and the degree of threat it poses.

Another way of communication is through various postures, as well as voice: animals can grumble and hiss.

The benefits and harms of beavers

As already mentioned, beavers are known for their desire for construction: when establishing their settlements, they create dams that regulate the water level in reservoirs. As a result, water can flood large areas of the forest and destroy it. Hayfields and roads may be damaged.

The second negative point is that dams worsen the conditions for fish spawning, acting as a mechanical barrier for grayling, whitefish, salmon and trout fish to spawn in small rivers.

Now let's look at the activities of these animals from the other side. The cascade of beaver dams that has existed on the river for a long time retains melt and storm water, and this reduces the likelihood of floods during high water, reduces bottom and bank erosion, shortens the period of low summer water, and contributes to the restoration of the system of springs and streams destroyed as a result of human activity. All this makes the forest inhabited by animals less arid, and therefore much less susceptible to forest fires.

By slowing the flow of rivers, dams increase the accumulation of sediment, creating a natural filtration system that removes potentially harmful contaminants from the water. In addition, the resulting large bodies of water create other benefits, such as increased ecological diversity.

Beavers also improve the food supply for hares and deer, which feed on “waste” materials used to build dams, and this, in turn, attracts predatory animals.

Thus, these rodents play an important role in semi-aquatic systems, and humans can only increase our knowledge of their biological needs and develop strategies that would allow both people and beavers to share the landscape.

In contact with

Common, or Eurasian, or river beaver (Castor fiber)- a species of semi-aquatic mammal from the beaver family (Castor). It is one of two species of the beaver genus (the other is (Castor canadensis).

Description

Common beavers weigh from 13 to 35 kg. The body length is 73-135 cm, and the height at the withers is up to 35 cm. They have two layers of fur: the first is a soft and dense undercoat, dark gray in color. The outer (second) layer is longer, with coarse reddish-brown hair or guard hairs. Northern populations have a darker coat color. River beavers have two castoreum glands located near the anal region. These glands produce an aromatic, chemical called beaver squirt, which is used to mark territories. The muzzle is blunt, the ears are small, and the legs are short. Both ears and nostrils have valves, and the eyes have a nictitating membrane.

The tail is bare, with black scales, and the shape is wide, oval and horizontally flattened. The color of the paws varies from dark brown to black, each with 5 toes. The hind feet have webbed toes, and the inner two toes are joined at the base and are used for grooming. In their mouths, beavers have a fold of skin that allows them to chew on branches underwater without getting water into their mouth. They have two, large, orange incisors. Females and males look similar to each other, although females are larger.

Area

Eurasian beavers once densely inhabited all of Europe and Asia. However, excessive killing of animals for fur and beaver dross, as well as habitat loss, have significantly reduced the population, almost to the point of extinction. In the 19th century, there were no beavers left in most countries of Europe and Asia. In the 20th century, there were approximately 1,300 beavers in the wild. Control and reproduction efforts have led to an increase in the European beaver population. Currently, beavers live in France, Germany, Poland, southern Scandinavia and central Russia. However, their populations are small and scattered throughout these areas.

Habitat

Stream beavers are semi-aquatic animals and live in freshwater systems, including lakes, ponds, rivers and streams, usually in forested areas, but sometimes in swamps. Constant access to water is essential, and the preferred tree species are willow, aspen, birch and alder. Beavers select slow-moving, calm or deep waters and can create these conditions if necessary. Water quality is less important than access, food availability, and depth.

Reproduction

Common beavers are monogamous. The female's estrus lasts from January to February, but sometimes warm winter weather can lead to breeding as early as December. Most often, mating occurs at night, in water, but in some cases it also happens on land. The duration of copulation ranges from 30 seconds to 3 minutes. If the female is not fertilized the first time, she goes into repeated estrus (2 to 4 times) throughout the breeding season. All family members take part in raising the offspring.

The gestational period ranges from 60 to 128 days. A female gives birth to 1 to 6 cubs, but most often 1-3. Newborn beavers weigh 230-630 g. As a rule, feeding with mother's milk lasts up to 6 weeks. During this time, the female takes care of the cubs, cleans them and feeds them. After the young are weaned from their mother's milk, other family members help feed them by bringing small twigs and soft bark until the young are about 3 months old. At 1.5-2 years, young beavers gain independence, leave their parental family and create their own.

Lifespan

Eurasian beavers, in the wild, can live from 10 to 17 years, but rarely live longer than 7-8 years. Some sources indicate that beavers can live up to 35 years in captivity, but this data is unconfirmed. The longest confirmed lifespan in captivity was 13.7 years.

Nutrition

River beavers are herbivores; during the winter months, they feed mainly on woody vegetation. Beavers prefer willow, aspen, and birch with a diameter of less than 10 cm. In the fall, rodents stock up on these foods and store them in water to eat in the winter until the ice melts. During the summer months, common beavers feed on aquatic vegetation, shoots, twigs, bark, leaves, buds and roots. In agricultural areas, rodents consume agricultural crops. Beavers do not have cellulase, an enzyme used to process cellulose. However, beavers feed on excrement, as a result of which the intestinal microflora is able to digest cellulose.

Behavior

Common beavers are primarily nocturnal, although they can be active during the day. Their burrows are usually located on the banks of rivers or ponds. In huts, beavers live in families of up to 12 individuals. These families consist of only one dominant, monogamous couple. The dominant female decides when young beavers leave the family. Beavers are semi-aquatic rodents and can remain underwater for 4-5 minutes. They are active throughout the year. In the northern regions, these animals do not come to the surface of the ice. For this reason, beavers spend the fall season gathering food so that they have something to eat during the winter. The reserves consist of woody vegetation such as willow and aspen branches.

Beavers can change the speed of currents and the depth of water through construction. However, Eurasian beavers are more conservative than their North American cousins, the Canadian beavers, and tend to build significantly fewer dams and lodges. Common beavers are very territorial and mark their territory with beaver streams. Beavers are very aggressive towards unknown odors on their mounds, often hissing and slapping their tails in the water. Most often they will leave their scent on or near the mound.

River beavers must take care of their fur and constantly maintain its water-repellent properties. They use the split toes of their hind feet and distribute oil from the sebaceous glands to the guard hairs. This makes the outer coat waterproof and the undercoat never gets wet. Without these fats, beavers would not be able to spend as much time in water or withstand low temperatures.

Home range

The size of a beaver's home range depends on the abundance of food, the size of the river basin, the size of the family, and the time of year. During the winter months, the home range is equal to the area that a beaver can patrol underwater daily in a single trip, since ice cover is present. During warm months, the home range size can be 1-5 kilometers along the coastline.

Communication and perception

River beavers communicate using beaver stream markings. They also use posturing, tail slaps, and vocalizations. Vocalizations include whining, whistling, and hissing. Tail swats are used when rodents are scared or upset.

Threats

Huts and burrows provide beavers with reliable protection from predators. Until now, the biggest threats to ordinary people are people. The rodents were hunted for their valuable pelts and beaver stream, which led to almost extinction. Currently, thanks to conservation efforts, beaver populations are protected by law. Poaching, being caught in nets, and road accidents are the main causes of death for these rodents. Wolves and red foxes are considered natural predators. Today, one of the main causes of mortality of river beavers is infectious diseases.

Role in the ecosystem

Common beavers have an extraordinary ability to impact ecosystems. Through the process of building dams, they change the flow of water, which leads to the flooding of many hectares of forest land. The decrease in nitrogen and acidity along with the increase in carbon inhibits the growth of woody vegetation for some time, but eventually the trees begin to grow and the forest recovers. Dams collect waste and debris, which increases carbon and decreases nitrogen and acidity, altering invertebrate habitats. This new source of water attracts various species of birds, fish and... River beavers also control woody vegetation. Submerged wood dies within a year and then becomes part of the aquatic ecosystem.

River beavers act as hosts for 33 different species of ticks, which can live on rodents at any time of the year.

Economic significance for humans

Positive

Eurasian beavers have valuable fur, meat and beaver stream. Previously, skins were used as currency until the animals almost disappeared. Fur was used to make clothing, felt, and felt hats. Beaver stream was used as a medicine and a base in perfumery. Beaver meat has nutritional value. In the 16th century, the Pope argued that the beaver's scaly tail and semi-aquatic lifestyle made it a fish and could be eaten during Lent. Even today, in Europe, about 400 tons of beaver meat are consumed during Lent.

Negative

Common beavers are considered destroyers, cutting down trees and flooding areas. The most numerous complaints are related to flooding of agricultural lands and, as a result, destruction of crops. Beavers flood roads and drainage pipes, causing serious damage.

Security status

River beavers are classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, but their numbers and protection remain low. Beaver subspecies (Castor fiber birulai) are endangered according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Video

The common beaver is a semi-aquatic animal that belongs to the order of rodents. Otherwise, this representative of the family is called river due to the fact that the rodent prefers to live in appropriate water sources. The animal is able to amaze even the most experienced person who deals with such animals. He builds a home well, takes care of his offspring and gets food. In terms of its overall dimensions, this rodent is the second largest. In today's material we will look at everything connected with it.

Description

1. The capybara is considered the largest animal among rodents, the beaver takes second place with honor. The mammal is famous for its dimensional features, which gives it a terrifying appearance. Such animals prefer to lead a semi-aquatic lifestyle.
2. If we consider their dimensions, then adult animals can grow up to 1.3 m in body length. You must agree, this is impressive. At the same time, the shoulders grow up to 35 cm, and body weight fluctuates in the range of 30 kg. Differences in gender between these individuals are poorly expressed. We can only say that the females are slightly larger than the males.
3. The body format is squat, the limbs are short, with five fingers. The hind limbs are considered the most developed; emphasis is placed on them. Due to the fact that animals prefer to live mostly in water, their spaces between their fingers are equipped with membranes. The claws are strong and strong, causing lacerations during collisions.
4. The tail is given special attention. It has no fur. The format of the tail looks like an oval, elongated and very flat. It grows up to 30 cm in length and about 13 cm in width. Some individuals may have hairs in the main part. The tail itself seems to be covered with keratinized scale particles. Between them there is a very short and hard pile. The upper part is characterized by the presence of a keel.
5. Despite the fact that these individuals are classified as large, their eyes are small. The ears are also not famous for their majesty; they are hidden under the fur and practically do not stand out against the background of the head. When an animal descends into a body of water, its nostrils close, as do the openings in its ears. Membranes called nictitating membranes descend over the eyes.
6. The molar dentition is characterized by a rootless type. However, a separate root system may be present in adult individuals due to age characteristics. The incisors are located at the back of the mouth. They are growths that are isolated from the mouth. It is this trait that allows animals to gnaw whatever they want in the aquatic environment.
7. Animal fur is pigmented in black, dark brown, brownish, and chestnut shades. It is famous for having a dense cushion with an oily impregnation. The guard hair itself is hard and elongated. The paws are painted black, as is the tail, although the latter may also have a dark gray pigment. Shedding occurs once a year. It begins at the end of spring and ends with the beginning of winter or the end of autumn.
8. The anal zone is equipped with paired glands, as well as a beaver stream, the main purpose of which is to send a signal about the gender and other characteristics of a particular individual. Their jets release a secretion with an enhanced odor. This aroma allows other individuals to navigate among the entire beaver settlement and identify a specific member of the pack.

Lifestyle

1. The representatives of the family under discussion prefer to live near slowly flowing water sources, be they rivers or storage facilities. They also enjoy completely standing sources, such as ponds or lakes. Beavers occupy the shoreline and spread out in this area. They do not mind settling in quarries or oxbow lakes. They completely stay away from fast-flowing water sources, as well as those places that freeze almost to the bottom in winter.
2. These individuals require vegetation growing in the coastal area. They prefer shrubs and wood, and love larches. I also like herbs, which form the basis of the diet.
3. The animals are both excellent divers and swimmers. Their lungs are huge, as is their liver. All this allows you to gain enough air to swim the required distance and stay in the water for up to 15 minutes. When a mammal gets ashore, it feels unsafe and looks clumsy.
4. When danger is brewing, the rodents begin to slap their spade-like tails across the water surface with all their might, then just as quickly disappear into the aquatic environment. They thus give an alarm to all other family members so that they can escape in a timely manner.
5. Accommodation is carried out individually or in small groups. A family can consist of 7 individuals, which are represented by a couple and their offspring. If a family occupies a certain territory, then it is registered with it for several more years or even more.
6. If the body of water is relatively small, it can be occupied by a bachelor or a small family. But larger areas are allocated to groups. Beavers try not to move further than 150 m from bodies of water, because this increases the risk to life.
7. These individuals walk around their possessions, after which they mark the boundaries with a secret that encourages them not to leave their homes. As for the period of activity, these mammals prefer to stay awake at dusk or at night.
8. With the onset of the autumn or spring season, adult members of the family leave their homes in the evening, after which they work throughout the night. When cold or frost sets in, these individuals very rarely come to the surface.

Lifespan

1. Considering their lifespan in the natural environment, we can say that in such conditions they reach up to 15 years. If you keep mammals in captivity, they will live for about 20-25 years. Life is shortened due to the presence of enemies in nature and some diseases characteristic of these rodents.
2. Even if we take into account that animals are famous for their excellent immune systems, they can still get sick. Among the most common ailments are infections, including tularemia. Because of it, animals simply die.
3. The population is also affected by special weather conditions, including winter floods. For example, they can take the lives of more than half of the beaver population. And spring floods lead to the death of young animals, which are not adapted to such situations.

Population

1. The individuals under discussion, classified as the common or Eurasian segment, have long inhabited the countries of Europe and Asia, respectively. But at some point, beavers began to be mercilessly hunted, which led to a significant reduction in the population. Today the population is very small, it is practically on the verge of extinction.
2. At the beginning of the 19th century, in almost all territories of the above countries, these rodents did not remain at all. In the 20th century, the population numbered about 1,300 individuals. They created groups that monitored the population and punished violators. Therefore, the number of beavers has increased in Europe; in Asia it is still recovering, but slowly.

Meaning

1. The presented mammals began to be hunted due to the fact that their fur is very valuable. Rodents were also caught using beaver streams, which are often used in the production of perfumes, pharmacology, and medicine.
2. The meat of this animal is considered a delicacy. Catholics even equate it with Lenten varieties. However, today it is known that beaver can carry salmonellosis, partly because of this, its meat is no longer consumed in such quantities.

Characteristics

1. It is worth noting that the presented individuals live in burrows. Such dwellings are sometimes called huts. An interesting fact remains that the entrance to their house is always located under water. Most often, rodents begin to dig a hole on a steep, steep bank. Such a dwelling is presented in the form of a complex labyrinth.
2. In addition, the house has several entrances. Beavers take a responsible approach to construction. They try to compact the shelf part and walls tightly. In addition, mammals most often build a hut in places where, as it may seem, there are no conditions for such actions.
3. Burrows are often found in swampy, low and flat banks. He is on the shallows. Individuals begin construction as soon as summer comes to an end. The finished dwelling is a cone-shaped hole. At the same time, the height in diameter is truly amazing; it can reach up to 10 m.
4. Animals try to carefully decorate the walls with clay and silt. Thanks to this feature, this fortress is practically impregnable to predators and other pests. Such beavers are clean animals. They will never litter their home with excrement or pieces of food.
5. Beavers begin to build the famous platinums if a family of beavers lives on a body of water where the water level often changes. Trees that have fallen into the water often serve as a powerful frame base. As a result, beavers try to line the trunk with all available materials.
6. The finished platinum can be up to 30 m long. At the same time, the base reaches up to 6 m and the height up to 5 m. It is worth noting an interesting fact that in Montana, on the Jefferson River, beavers built a dam of incredible size. Its length reached as much as 0.7 km! Animals begin to cut down trees to prepare food and for construction needs.
7. Beavers gnaw tall trees at the very base. After this, the animal can gnaw off the branches. If the tree is large, then the rodent divides the trunk into several parts. Aspen with a diameter of up to 10 cm can be felled by a beaver in just a few minutes. If the tree has a diameter of up to half a meter, the animal will knock it down in less than a night.
8. During this, beavers lean on their tail and stand on their hind legs. At the same time, their teeth begin to work like a saw. During this procedure, the beavers' fangs are sharpened themselves. They consist of very strong and hard dentin. Small branches that have been knocked down are eaten by the animals themselves.
9. The rest of the building materials are sent by water towards the construction of a dam or dwelling. During the construction process, beavers trample paths that are soon filled with water. They are most often called “beaver canals.” They are used to transport tree feed. After a long period of work, the area takes on an unusual appearance. In the process, it is called a “beaver landscape.”

Diet

1. The individuals in question belong to the category of animals that strictly feed on products of exclusively plant origin. These semi-aquatic mammals prefer only plant shoots and tree bark.
2. Animals often like to feast on willow, aspen, poplar or birch. Beavers are very fond of herbaceous plants. Among these, the most popular are iris, egg capsule, young reed, water lily and cattail.
3. Beavers begin to actively live in areas where there is a large amount of softwood. In addition, the daily diet of these mammals often includes hazel, elm, linden and bird cherry. Oak and alder are not on the beaver menu. This material is used exclusively for construction purposes and for furnishing your own home.
4. What remains interesting is that beavers really love acorns. Moreover, every day in their diet such a product makes up about 20% of the total mass of the animal itself. River beavers cope excellently with any solid food of plant origin without any problems. This is achieved thanks to a powerful bite and large teeth.
5. It is worth noting that beavers almost always consume only a few tree species for food. If they switch to a new type of food, they will need a long adaptation. The microflora in the intestines must completely adapt to the new type of menu. As soon as the warm period begins, the beavers' diet begins to include a large amount of grassy food.
6. With the onset of autumn, beavers begin to prepare food for the winter. It is interesting that animals put wood food in the water. Thanks to this, the product fully retains its taste and nutritional qualities until the onset of February. On average, the food supply per family is up to 70 cubic meters.

Reproduction

1. As for sexual maturity, individuals reach it only at the 3rd year of life. Animals most often remain in rut from the end of February to the end of March. At this time, beavers begin to crawl out of their winter shelters and wander through the snow. They also often swim in thawed ice holes. They actively mark their territory with beaver streams.
2. Among other things, not only males do this, but also females who have reached sexual maturity. Interestingly, the mating process occurs exclusively in water. After a little more than 3 months, up to 5 cubs are born. The number of young animals will directly depend on the age of the female. Old beavers produce more beavers than young ones.
3. As soon as the young are born, in the first days they feed exclusively on their mother’s milk. When babies are more than 3 weeks old, plant foods begin to be present in their diet. The mother stops feeding the beavers milk when they are about 2 months old.
4. In addition, it is at this time that the young animals begin to actively develop their incisors. Therefore, the beavers follow their parents to gnaw on something. They become completely independent by the age of 2 years. At this age they are already starting to build their own home.

In today's material we will look at the second largest mammal, classified as a rodent. Beavers, due to their overall size, can grow more than 1 m; they are excellent builders and parents. Due to fishing and constant hunting, the population has decreased significantly, but this century they are fighting to restore it.

Video: common beaver (Castor fiber)