Laserfiche WebLink
Figure 2. Beaver tracks. <br /> <br />Tail mark <br /> <br /> Marks of webs not always dis ' <br /> tlrl~.L <br />,,,~nches (76-152 mm) <br /> <br />Walking <br /> <br />Front foot <br /> <br />6 inches (152 mm) <br /> <br />Hind foot <br /> <br /> Identification <br /> The beaver Castor canadensis, <br /> Figure 7] is our largest North <br /> American rodent. ^ few rare in- <br /> dividuals reach over 100 pounds <br /> (45 kg). The weight of most adults <br /> ranges from 35 to 50 pounds (15.75 <br /> to 22.5 kg], with some rarely <br /> reaching 70 to 85 pounds (31.5 to <br /> 38.25 kg). The beaver is a stocky <br /> appearing rodent adapted for <br /> aquatic environments. It has <br /> valvular ears and nose and lips <br /> which close behind the four large <br /> incisor teeth. Each of the four feet <br /> have five digits with the hind feet <br /> webbed between digits.and a split <br /> second claw on each hind foot. <br /> The front feet are small in com- <br /> parison to the hind feet [Figure 2]. <br /> The underfur is dense and general- <br /> ly gray in color, whereas the guard <br /> hair is long and coarse with the <br /> color ranging from yellowish-brown <br /> to black, with reddish-brown most <br /> common. Its prominent tail is flat- <br /> tened dorsoventrally, scaled and <br /> almost hairless. It is used as a prop <br /> while the bea~er.~ is~sh.t, ing~,,~pr~ght <br />[Figure $). The tail is also used for <br />swimming and communication <br />while in the water. The beaver's <br />large front incisor teeth, bright <br />orange on the front, grow con- <br />tinuously ~hroughout its life. These <br />incisors on the back side are bev- <br />eled to be continuously sharpened <br />as the beaver gnaws and chews in <br />its feeding, girdling, and cutting of <br />trees. The only way to externally <br /> <br />Figure 3. A beaver uses/ts tail as a prop in <br />order to sit upright. <br /> <br />Figure 4. Range of the beaver in North <br />America. <br /> <br /> <br />