The beaver lives near the Hudson River.
Munch. Munch. Crunch! What's that noise? It's a beaver eating some twigs from a birch tree! Beavers are herbivores (animals that eat plants). Their diet consists of the bark, twigs, and leaves of several different kinds of trees. In the summer, beavers also like to eat grass, flowers, berries, and water plants. These animals store fat in their tails and they use it for energy when they can't find enough food.
Beavers can weigh up to fifty pounds! They have soft and dense fur that can be yellowish-brown,
red-brown, or very dark brown. Beavers comb their fur with their claws. They also use their claws
to move oil from the roots of their fur to the tips. This oil keeps their coats waterproof. Beavers
have stubby, little legs that prevent them from moving fast on the land. However, this animal is a
skilled swimmer and it uses its wide, flat tail to navigate through the water. (A beaver's tail acts
like a boat rudder - moving up and down and side to side.)
Beavers live in rivers, lakes, and ponds near woods or forests. They adapt to their environment by
building their lodges (homes) in the water, where they'll be safe. Many lodges are as high as six
feet above the water! Beavers use their sharp teeth and strong jaws to cut down trees. A hard orange
coating protects their teeth and prevents them from breaking. A beaver can bite through a tree trunk that
is more than a foot thick! Beavers use mud, tree bark, branches, and twigs to create their homes. They keep
the lodges warm with the heat from their own bodies!
When beavers become frightened, they slap their tails on the water to warn their friends. This slap can sound like a firecracker and it sometimes scares the beaver's enemies, including wolves, bears, and coyotes.
How does a beaver build its lodge?
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