Beavers

About

Beavers are large rodents known for their remarkable engineering skills, creating complex habitats that significantly impact their ecosystems. They build dams and lodges using branches, vegetation, and mud, which help regulate water flow and create wetlands. These wetlands support a wide range of biodiversity, providing habitats for numerous species of mammals, fish, birds, and plants. Beavers are monogamous, living in family units with their offspring, and are known for their industrious nature. Beavers are herbivores, primarily consuming aquatic plants, grasses, and the bark of trees like aspen and willow. They are skilled swimmers and use their webbed hind feet and flat tails to maneuver in water. Beavers play a crucial role in maintaining ecosystem health by improving water quality, preventing erosion, and storing water during droughts. Their activities have made them a keystone species, highlighting their importance in natural environments. Despite historical threats from overhunting, beaver populations have recovered, and they continue to thrive in various freshwater habitats.