Beaver research
The beaver (genus Castor)
is a primarily nocturnal, large, semi-aquatic rodent. Castor includes
two extant species, North American beaver (Castor canadensis) (native to
North America) and Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber) (Eurasia). Beavers are
known for building dams, canals, and lodges (homes). They are the
second-largest rodent in the world (after the capybara). Their colonies create
one or more dams to provide still, deep water to protect against predators, and
to float food and building material.
Beavers are heavyset and have short
legs and large, webbed hind feet. They grow as large as 4 ft (1.3 m) long,
including the 1-ft (30-cm) tail, and as heavy as 66 lb (30 kg). Beavers build
their dams of sticks, stones, and mud in small rivers, streams, and lakes,
often producing sizable ponds. With their powerful jaws and large teeth, they
can fell medium-size trees, whose branches they use in their dams and whose
tender bark and buds they eat. One or more family groups share a dome-shaped
stick-and-mud lodge built in the water, with tunnel entrances below water
level.
Natural lumberjacks, beavers have great
impact on their environment as they fell trees to build their dams and lodges.
Their constructions block water flow and flood the surrounding area, creating wetlands
that rapidly become biodiversity hotspots. The beavers use the resulting deep,
slow-moving water as predator protection and for floating food and building
materials along.
North American Beaver
Nature's own lumberjacks, American
beavers fell large trees using nothing more than their strong front teeth. They
then use the timber to build their famous dams and lodges. Ground-breaking
infra-red filming for the Life of Mammals revealed that beavers willingly share
their lodges, and even their food, with another rodent: the muskrat. The
beaver's flattened and scaly tail is just one of a number of superb adaptations
to their watery habitat. Not content with being North America's biggest rodent,
the American beaver is also the world's third largest, out-sized only by its European
cousin and by the capybara.
European Beaver
European beavers have come back from
the edge of extinction. These large rodents were found all across Europe and Asia
until the beginning of the 20th century when numbers in the wild were estimated
at around 1,000 - unfortunately beavers were highly prized for their fur and
castoreum, the chemical they use for marking territory, communicating and
water-proofing. Programmes of reintroduction and protection have seen beaver
populations re-establish, most recently in Scotland following their
reintroduction in 2001. As with their American cousins, Europe's beavers can
have a tremendous impact on ecosystems, as they build dams that alter water
flow and depth.
Anatomy of a Beaver
25 Interesting Facts About Beavers
There are 2 species of beavers in the world; the North American Beaver (Castor canadensis) and the Eurasian Beaver (Castor fiber). Beavers are semi-aquatic rodents and these amazing mammals ability to actively change the environment is second only to humans. The beaver is an industrious creature and their dam building creates wetlands that support other wildlife; however, at times left unchecked beavers can cause ecological damage. Here are 25 interesting facts about beavers:
2. Adult beavers have long flat tails that are about a foot long. Beavers slap their tails on the water surface as an alarm to alert the colony when they sense danger.
3. An adult beaver can weigh between 30 and 70 pounds.
4. Female beavers are larger than male beavers of the same age.
5. Beavers are nocturnal creatures and they work at night.
6. Beavers are monogamous.
7. Beavers have poor sight but a strong sense of smell and good hearing.
8. Beavers move slow on land but are good swimmers and can swim up to 5 mph.
9. Beavers can stay underwater for up to 15 minutes.
10. Prior to European immigration there were over 60 million beavers in North American.
11. Due primarily to over trapping beavers were an endangered species in the early part of the 20th Century.
12. Beavers have sharp teeth which continue to grow throughout their lifetimes.
13. Beavers are found by streams, ponds, rivers and lakes.
14. Beavers cut trees with their sharp teeth, build dams and create ponds and wetlands.
15. Beavers are herbivores.
16. Beavers feed on trees and tree bark; common favorites are cherry, maple, birch and aspens. Beavers also feed on water lilies, pondweed and leaves.
17. Beavers live in colonies made up of a family of an adult male and female and 2-4 kits.
18. A newborn beaver through the first year is called a kit while a young beaver in the second year of life is called a yearling.
19. Beavers are territorial; they mark and protect their space.
20. Beavers build dams and lodges. Dams and lodges are built for protection against predators such as wolves, coyotes, bears and eagles.
21. Lodges are the homes of beavers and the beavers make them from sticks and mud.
22. The entrance to lodge is underwater further protecting the beaver colony.
23. Beavers do not hibernate and lodges need to be built in deep enough water so the entrance does not freeze in the winter.
24. January and February is the mating season for beavers and beavers start mating during their second winter.
Double Page spread research:
It's clear to see Grids have been used in the design process for all of these spreads. Most of them feature one large image and a lot of text.
My final spread was influenced by a Wind in the Willows book, a very sketchy illustrative style and the old San Serif Font. The beaver is a rodent like the animals in the story, and it reminded me of the story.
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