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Beaver

American Beaver
American Beaver
Credit: Wikimedia Commons. Click here for the license
Tree felled by a beaver. You can see all the wood shavings from where they gnawed at it with their teeth.
Tree felled by a beaver. You can see all the wood shavings from where they gnawed at it with their teeth.
Credit: Wikimedia Commons. Click here for the license

Beavers are mostly nocturnal and are famous 'eco-engineers'. They spend their nights felling trees with their powerful teeth to build dams across rivers.

Why they are important:

Their dams create new ponds and wetlands, which become amazing habitats for other wildlife like frogs, dragonflies, and water birds.

💡 Fun Facts

  • Beavers were hunted to extinction in the UK over 400 years ago, but are now being carefully reintroduced to some rivers.
  • Their front teeth are orange because they contain iron, which makes them extra strong for chewing through wood.
  • A beaver's tail is flat and scaly and can be slapped on the water's surface as a loud warning signal to other beavers.