Why Beaver County is the Hot Topic You Can’t Ignore - Away State Journal
beaver, (genus Castor), either of two species of amphibious rodents native to North America, Europe, and Asia. Beavers are the largest rodents in North America and Eurasia and the second largest rodents worldwide.
Beavers, often hailed as nature’s engineers, are far more than just bucktoothed rodents. These industrious creatures play a critical role in shaping landscapes and maintaining healthy ecosystems. Their impact extends from the smallest stream to the wider web of life, and even into human history.
The beaver is the largest rodent in North America and Europe and is a formidable beast. It directs the streams, controls the woodland, and provides for a spectacular diversity of organisms.
Today, there are two recognized species of beaver, the Eurasian beaver and the North American beaver. The North American beaver is native to the US, Canada, and northern Mexico, and lives in a variety of freshwater habitats such as rivers and wetlands.
Beavers are powerful swimmers that can swim underwater for up to 15 minutes. As the beaver dips underwater, the nose and ears shut to keep water out. Transparent inner eyelids close over each...
A beaver’s daily engineering makes a huge impact on their ecosystem: their dams cause rivers to overflow, transform narrow streams into complex braids, and can turn entire forests into deep, interconnected ponds.
The North American beaver (Castor canadensis) is a semiaquatic animal native to North America. It is one of the official national wildlife of Canada symbols and is the official state mammal of Oregon and New York.
