Beaver

Presentation

The Beaver is a large semi-aquatic rodent known for its ability to modify its environment by building dams and huts. Its stocky body, flat, scaly tail and webbed hind legs make it an excellent swimmer. It lives in North America (Beaver canadensis) and in Eurasia (Beaver fiber), two close but distinct species. Active mainly at dusk and night, it shapes the waterways it occupies in a sustainable manner. Its continuously growing incisors allow it to gnaw wood constantly. It is one of the rare animals capable of creating complete ecosystems through its activity.

The Beaver has a dense, waterproof brown coat, a flattened tail serving as a rudder and fat reserve, and webbed hind legs. Its orange incisors, rich in iron, grow continuously and allow it to cut down trees. It has anal glands secreting Beaveréum, used to mark its territory.

Characteristics

Indicative values: they vary by subspecies, sex and region.

Habitat and distribution

The Beaver frequents rivers, lakes, ponds and wetlands bordered by deciduous forests. It needs permanent access to water as well as abundant woody vegetation to feed and build its dams. It can also colonize watercourses in agricultural areas or close to inhabited areas.

Behaviour

The Beaver is a territorial animal, mainly nocturnal and crepuscular, living in family groups called colonies. He builds dams to regulate the water level around his hut and travels mainly by swimming. A very skilled builder, he cuts down trees with his teeth to obtain building materials and food. It communicates by scent marking with the Beaveréum and by tail slaps on the water in case of danger.

Reproduction

Breeding occurs once a year, usually in winter, and gestation lasts about three months. The female gives birth to one to four young in the spring in the family hut. The young stay with their parents for up to two years before leaving the colony to found their own territory. Sexual maturity is reached around two to three years of age.

Peculiarities

Beaver is capable of radically transforming a landscape by creating wetlands favorable to many other species. The Beaveréum that it secretes has historically been used in perfumery and traditional medicine. Its flat tail serves as both a propellant, a balancer on land and an energy reserve.

Threats and conservation

The Beaver was heavily hunted for its fur and Beaveréum, leading to its near extinction in Europe in the 20th century. Thanks to protection and reintroduction programs, its populations have largely recovered. The main current threats remain the destruction of wetlands and conflicts with agricultural activities.

References

Profile updated 21 August 2026 · Reviewed by the TunisieVet editorial team.