Beaver (Castor Canadensis)

Habitat: Beavers are found throughout North America except for the extreme northern regions of Canada, the deserts of the southwest United States, Mexico, and Florida. Very good swimmers, beavers are found in streams and lakes with trees, or on banks. A few things tell you a beaver is near. A stick-and-mud dam built across a stream at the edge of a lake and stumps of small trees in the area showing tooth marks will let you know a beaver is nearby.

Habits: Beavers are mostly nocturnal, meaning they sleep during the day and are active at night. However, they are sometimes seen during the day. "Families" of beavers, consisting of parents, yearlings, and kits, usually occupy a lodge. Beavers are usually monogamous, meaning they have one mate for life. Once a beaver is two-years-old, it leaves the family lodge.

Diet: Even though they have huge front teeth, beavers are herbivores, meaning they only eat plants. Beavers like to eat a few different kinds of trees, including aspen, poplar, birch, maple, willow, and alder. Beavers also eat bark and small twigs, and store small sections of logs underwater near their lodge to eat later.

Predators: Young beavers are threatened by bears, wolves, wolverines, lynx, and otters. They can also face danger from fishers, who fish near their homes.