North American Beavers are the Builders of the Wild

by Reety Subedi, age 7

The North American beaver is known for constructing dams. They use their teeth to chop down trees and gather materials for their dams.

Beavers are mammals that live in the United States and Canada. A group of beavers is called a colony. Beavers can usually have four to six babies called kits, across their lifetime. These kits can grow to be bigger than, and as heavy as, a suitcase. They usually eat grass, bark, plants, leaves, and twigs. They use their teeth and their hands to gather food for themselves and their colony.

Dams are the homes where beavers live. They use their teeth to cut down wood, collect sticks, and twigs to help build their dams. A beaver can hold its breath underwater for about 15 minutes. The beavers slap their flat tails on the water to warn other beavers that there is danger nearby. When other beavers see them and hear this signal, they run away in fear and hide.

The North American beaver is a fascinating and industrious creature. It’s important to appreciate the natural world and recognize the significance and uniqueness of these amazing animals.

[Source: National Geographic Kids]