Transcript:

Hello you and welcome to this fact file! Today we’re going to be looking at beavers.

There are two species of beaver in the world: the North American beaver and the Eurasian beaver which is slighter larger than its American brother and has a more narrow muzzle and tail. The two species are not genetically viable and therefore can not produce offspring with each other. The chance of these two running into each other is rather slim, though, because they basically live on opposite sides of the world. Both species were hunted extensively for their fur, castoreum and meat, but modern reintroduction projects and hunting restrictions have helped to bolster their populations.

When it comes to size, beavers are the second largest rodents on the planet, second only to the capybara. From tail tip to nose they can reach more than four feet in length, and larger beavers can weigh over sixty pounds. That’s like six Chesters! They are largely aquatic animals and have adapted accordingly. Their back legs are powerful and built for swimming with large webbed feet. They can swim up to five miles per hour and can hold their breath for up to fifteen minutes. They do this by slowing their heart rate. They use their massive tail as a rudder underwater.

Beavers are also able to close their nose and ear holes while swimming and have a special membrane that covers their eyes while below the surface. It’s like their own personal set of goggles! To top it off, they’re able to waterproof their coat using castoreum which is an oil substance they produce in their scent glands. When they are on land they can be a bit clumsy on their feet, however they’re still master craftsman. Considered second only to humans in having the ability to change their landscape, beavers can completely reconstruct an ecosystem. By felling trees and building dams, they create the water reservoirs in which they live.

Freshwater wetlands are extremely important. They create homes for many different species, many of which are endangered. They purify water and are sometimes referred to as “the kidneys of the earth.” They also slow erosion. Beavers are one of the main contributors to the construction of these vital ecosystems. It is possible for the presence of beavers to cause harm, such as with flooding which leads to property damage, though the benefits of the beaver’s home usually tend to outweigh the drawbacks. Besides, maybe they’ll move in to your basement! That would be lots of fun...

Beaver homes are called lodges. The more iconic lodges are found in the middle of a wetland environment as a large dome constructed out of branches and mud. They will, however, also live in burrows on the sides of streams or lakes. Their homes usually have more than one entrance which are only reachable underwater. They favor willow, maple, birch, aspen, cottonwood, beech, poplar, and alder trees both for constructing their homes and for consumption. They have a gastrointestinal system that specializes in digesting tree bark. They do eat other vegetation such as roots, buds and water plants.

Inside a beaver lodge typically lives a mating pair and their offspring. Beavers mate for life and their kids live with them for two years before leaving the lodge. A female beaver will only produce one litter of one to four kits per year, usually in the spring. Her gestation period lasts about three months but that’s a small price to pay considering the babies are weaned at a mere two weeks of age. If the phrase “busy as a beaver” comes from anywhere I would personally guess it comes from the tenacity of their offspring.

Beaver babies are born with both eyes already open and they are usually swimming within their first 24 hours of life. Within their first week they are already leaving the lodge and learning the ropes of the outside world. That would be like if a human child began working at three and a half. Three and a half days, I mean to say... I know that’s an unfair comparison, because in reality we develop differently, but still it’s kind of funny to think about. Hehe. Suitcase babies.

At a year old, beavers will become the babysitters to the next season’s litter and then leave the lodge a year later. They typically begin mating around three years of age and can live more than twenty years in the wild. Their predators are hawks, owls, coyotes and even wolves and bears.

Beavers are abundant in Native American legends. Some tribes believed them to be a symbol of wealth and luck during the hunt. Others saw them as hardworking creatures while some viewed them as stubborn. The Cherokee saw them as something as a tooth fairy to whom children would offer their fallen-out baby teeth. They are also the national animal of Canada. Although they are nocturnal, it is possible to see a beaver during the day. I was lucky enough to catch sight of one while walking my dog near our local lake; that was at night, though.

For more information on beavers, feel free to browse through my citations in the description below. Let me know which animal you’d like to see next in the comment. Thank you for watching and please like and subscribe for more Animal Fact Files!