Beaver

Classified as the largest rodent in North American (north of Panama), the beaver is a clumsy animal on land but when it takes to the water it propels itself through the water with grace and speed, thanks to its powerful webbed hind feet. Beavers have a large, scale-covered tail that helps them maneuver through the water. They also slap the surface of the water with their tail, when sounding an alarm.

a beaver swims in the water

A mostly nocturnal rodent, beavers build dams of sticks and mud across streams and can be found living in ponds, small lakes, streams and rivers. A strict herbivore, the beaver eats a combination of woody and herbaceous species, such as mountain alder, aspen and willows.

a beaver dam a beaver fell