Wildlife Quiz - Beaver

Beaver

Beavers (Castor canadensis) spend most of their lives living a semi-aquatic existence. Beavers are slow on land, but good swimmers. Evolution has provided the beaver with the unique ability to close off its ears and nose to keep out water and they can hold their breath underwater for approximately 15 minutes. A large flat tail and webbed hind feet make them efficient swimmers and well adapted to watery environments.

Once widely distributed across all of North America, beavers were almost eliminated, in the late 1800s, because of unregulated trapping. With proper management, however, beavers have been reestablished and are now common in many areas. Maine’s many marshes, lakes, ponds and streams are almost guaranteed to hold abundant populations of this omnivorous rodent.

Telltale signs of beavers, inhabiting these biomes, include beaver dams. Engineering marvels, beaver dams work to increase water depth, allowing beavers to store food where it will not be frozen into the ice during the winter season. Within these small ponds, beavers build domed houses (lodges) constructed of mud, small sticks and vegetation. Beavers construct underwater entrances to their lodges, which helps protect them from predators. Though dens provide effective protection from predators, beavers are still preyed upon by black bears, coyotes, lynx, bobcats, fisher, and dogs while they forage for food onshore. If able to avoid predators, beavers typically live 5-10 years in the wild. When frightened, a swimming beaver will slap the water with its broad tail. This alarm serves as a warning to other beavers that danger is near.

Herbivores, beavers feed on the leaves, twigs and inner bark of hardwoods such as aspen, birch, willow, oak and maple. Beavers cut down trees using their sharp front teeth. These teeth continually grow must constantly be worn down by cutting down trees, stripping bark and feeding.

The soft and warm pelts of muskrats remain a valued commodity in the fur trade. The Maine trapping season for beaver starts in October and runs until April or March depending on the Wildlife Management Area.

Wildlife Quiz Questions:

1. What unique ability do beavers have that allow then to swim without water entering their airways and ear canals?

2. How long can a beaver hold its breath underwater?

3. What adaptation do beavers possess that allows them to be very efficient swimmers?

4. What animals prey upon beavers?

5. How long do beavers live in the wild?

6. What does a beaver do to alert other beavers that danger is near?

7. What do beavers eat?

Wildlife Quiz Answers:

1. Evolution has provided the beaver with the unique ability to close off its ears and nose to keep out water.

2. Beavers can hold their breath underwater for approximately 15 minutes.  

3. Beavers have a large flat tail and webbed hind feet making them efficient swimmers and well adapted to watery environments.

4. Beavers are preyed upon by black bears, coyotes, lynx, bobcats, fisher, and dogs.

5. Beavers typically live 5-10 years in the wild.

6. When frightened, a swimming beaver will slap the water with its broad tail to warm other beavers of danger.

7. Herbivores, beavers feed on the leaves, twigs and inner bark of hardwoods such as aspen, birch, willow, oak and maple.