A Closer Look at the North American Beaver
A Closer Look at the North American Beaver
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It’s not easy getting close to a beaver – they are generally fearful of humans and potential predators. They are also primarily nocturnal, though they can be spotted in the daylight. Marc Dumont, in Alberta, has captured some rare sightings of beavers in the wild.
The North American beaver is Canada's largest rodent and the second-largest rodent in the world, after the capybara. Beavers live semi-aquatic lives, although they are much faster in water than they are on land.
Beavers are excellent swimmers, both underwater and on the surface. They can attain speeds close to 7 km per hour if startled and will slap their tails against the surface to warn others of potential threats.
Beavers are monogamous and mate for life. Each beaver colony normally consists of two parental adults, yearlings born the year before, and newborn kits. Kits leave the parental home at the age of two to start their own families.
Beavers eat leaves, roots, and bark from aspens, willows, maples, and poplar trees. They also eat aquatic plants. During the winter, they store food in beaver lodges and remain active during the cold season.
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