Beaver
Anyone spending much time around a lake, pond, river, or creek
has surely seen the telltale signs of beaver-felled trees or
mounds of sticks and logs protruding above the water. This
rodent, the largest in North America, is found throughout
Oklahoma where suitable habitat is available.
Though usually brown in color, the beaver's fur can range from a
light chestnut to near black. Occasionally, several variations
occur within the same colony. Adult beavers, both males and
females, average 40 inches in length and weigh from 35 to 65
pounds.
Because of its large hind legs and short forelegs, the beaver
waddles awkwardly while on land. Its long, heavy claws
facilitate digging and also offer great dexterity, allowing the
beaver to fold individual leaves into its mouth or to rotate
small, thin stems as it gnaws on bark.
The beaver (Castor canadensis) is also characterized by its
webbed toes and flat, paddle-like tail, which is hairless and
covered in uncornified scales. The tail serves many purposes,
including functioning as a prop while sitting. Beavers also slap
their tails against the water to warn against danger, and they
also use them for steering and swimming.
Further facilitating the beaver's aquatic lifestyle are its
valvular nostrils and ears, which shut tight when submerged. It
also has a third eye membrane that allows it to see while
submerged. Its waterproof fur consists of long, coarse guard
hairs and a short, soft undercoat.
Beavers are also known for their castor glands, which are
located near the tail. They use these glands to scent-mark
territory. Humans use this scent as a base aroma in many
perfumes.
Beavers are monogamous and produce only one litter per year,
usually in late spring or early summer. A typical litter
contains three to four young beavers, called "kits." The fur of
newborn kits may vary in color as much as that of adults, though
it is usually reddish or cinnamon brown.
A typical colony of beavers usually has five or six members
consisting of an adult pair and their kits from the previous
litter. Young beavers will either leave voluntarily or be driven
off by the adults before the second litter is born.
Beavers often build enormous lodges of sticks and logs which
protrude above the water. These conical lodges feature
underground passages to the den, enabling a beaver to enter and
leave the den while submerged. This offers protection from
predators like coyotes. These mammalian engineers will also
build dams, similar in construction to lodges, which serve to
maintain a constant water level in the animal's living area. A
consistent water level ensures that the entrance to the lodge
remains underwater, and it also maintains a proper depth in the
canals, or "runs," which are built to make it easier for the
beaver to seek vegetation away from its lodge.
Favorite foods for the beaver in Oklahoma are cottonwood, willow
and Johnson grass roots, but they'll eat almost any type of
bark, bud, root and leaf. Though a beaver can hold its breath
for up to 15 minutes during a dive, it is often seen cruising
the surface of a lake or pond carrying sticks or twigs in its
orange-tinted front teeth.
Although they can cause flooding and damage to ornamental and
crop trees, beavers also perform a valuable service to farmers
and sportsmen by helping to control erosion. With their dams,
they also create wetland habitat for waterfowl and other
wildlife.
With its dedication to hard work and its ingenious structural
designs perfected over millennia, it's no wonder that the beaver
is considered the master engineer of the animal world.