A beaver is easy to identify. It has a tail that looks like a flat paddle. Its fur is brown, soft, and waterproof. It has large orange teeth!

A beaver can be up to four feet long. It weighs about 65 pounds. It is a very good swimmer.

The beaver lives in rivers, streams, marshes, and lakes. It uses tree branches to build its dams and lodges. A pond with a large cone-shaped dome in the middle tells you that a beaver lives nearby.

The beaver never eats meat. In the spring, it eats leaves, shoots, and grasses. In the fall, it eats bark and twigs.

A beaver can gnaw through a ten-inch thick tree in less than five minutes. It uses the tree to build its home and dam. Gnawing trees also helps to keep a beaver’s teeth from growing too long.

Four to eight beavers make a family group. The group works together on building projects. It communicates by scent. If one beaver slaps its tail on the water with a loud thwack, they all dive deep knowing that danger is nearby.

The beaver was over-hunted in the early 1800’s. Its fur was popular for hats and coats. Today, the beaver is valued for the rich wetland made by its dams.