Essay about Beavers

The beaver is the national animal of Canada. They are mammals. They live in ponds, lakes, and streams. Beavers are strong swimmers and graceful divers. They have lungs and a furry body. A beaver's baby is called a kit. The babies drink their mother's milk. The beaver is warm-blooded. Its body temperature stays warm, even in icy water. The beaver is the largest rodent in North America. Its front teeth never stop growing.

Beavers live in most parts of Canada (the north, the west and on the prairies). They are found in wild areas of Canada. Small numbers are found in Europe, Asia, and the tip of South America. They live in and around water. An adult beaver weighs from 16-32 kg (35-70 pounds) which is as heavy as a large dog. To survive beavers need trees and water. Trees provide beavers with food and wood for building. Water keeps them safe. Beavers can swim away from danger. Beavers are plant eaters. They feed on tree bark all year round.

In spring and summer, they also eat new green plants. They have razor-sharp teeth for cutting trees. A beaver's back teeth grind up wood. A flap of skin closes behind the front teeth, which keeps water out of the beaver's mouth. Between the back and front teeth is a place that is perfect for carrying sticks underwater. They also have special chemicals in their stomach that helps them digest the bark. A beaver's tail is scaly and about 30cm (12 inches) long. Fat stored in the tail serves as food during winter. Beavers have clear eyelids that protect a beaver's eye and let them swim underwater with their eyes open. A beaver's ears and nose close over to prevent water from going in.

A beaver's long soft fur protects it form insects. Dirt and water helps the beaver blend in with its surroundings. Webbed feet help the beaver swim. Double toenails are used for combing the fur. Most dams are from five to thirty meters long, some are longer than a soccer field. Beaver's parents have a new litter of kits every spring. The whole family helps care from them. Unlike a human a beaver keeps growing for as long as it lives. A dam is a stick and mud wall built by beavers across a stream or river. Castoreum is scented oil stored in glands under a beaver's tail.

A beaver's big back feet and powerful tail push it through water. To speed up, the beaver pumps its tail hard. A fast moving beaver can swim up to 10km per hour (6 miles per hour). Webbed feet make it hard to walk on land. The beaver's tail helps it balance. A beaver's body is long and smooth in the water that helps it to glide. Beavers often stay underwater for 2 or 3 minutes at a time. Water trapped behind a dam forms into a deep pond. The beavers are safer in the deep water. Here they can build a home, store food, and escape from enemies.

Beavers can live up to 12 years in the wild. They are skilful builders. Millions of years ago, beavers lived in many northern parts of the world; some were as big as bears. Beaver families cut down hundreds of trees a year.