How long can beavers hold breath?

Beavers can hold their breath for up to 15 minutes while underwater. This allows them to swim long distances, gather food, and work on underwater construction projects. They have adaptations including a slow heart rate and oxygen storage in their muscles that enable these extended dives.

Why do beavers build dams?

Beavers build dams to create deep ponds that protect them from predators like wolves, coyotes, and bears. The ponds also provide access to food during winter when ice covers the surface. Deep water allows beavers to store food underwater and swim safely to their lodges.

Beavers are herbivores that eat tree bark, leaves, twigs, and aquatic plants. They prefer aspen, willow, birch, and poplar trees. In winter, beavers rely on branches they stored underwater during autumn. They can digest the cellulose in wood thanks to specialized gut bacteria.

How big can beaver dams get?

Most beaver dams are 10 to 100 feet long, but they can become massive with continuous maintenance over decades. The largest known beaver dam in Alberta, Canada stretches 2,790 feet long and is visible from space. This enormous structure has been maintained by multiple beaver generations.

Do beavers mate for life?

Yes, beavers typically mate for life and form strong monogamous pair bonds. They live in family colonies with their offspring. If one partner dies, the surviving beaver may find a new mate. Beaver pairs work together to build dams, maintain lodges, and raise their young.

How long do beavers live?

Beavers typically live 10 to 20 years in the wild. Some individuals have been documented living up to 24 years. Captive beavers can live slightly longer with protection from predators and consistent food supply. Lifespan depends on habitat quality and predation pressure.

Are beavers endangered?

No, both beaver species are classified as Least Concern and have stable populations. However, they were nearly hunted to extinction in the 1800s for their fur. Conservation efforts and hunting regulations allowed populations to recover. Beavers now thrive across much of their historical range.

Beaver Facts: Dams, Teeth & Engineering Skills

Discover nature's master builders and engineers

Beavers are nature's engineers that build dams and lodges. Learn about beaver teeth, construction abilities, habitat impact, diet, and behaviors.

Key Facts

Scientific Genus

Castor

Species

2 (North American & Eurasian)

Lifespan

10 to 20 years

Weight

24 to 71 lbs (11 to 32 kg)

Length

29 to 39 inches (74 to 100 cm)

Tail Length

10 to 18 inches (25 to 45 cm)

Diet

Herbivore (bark, leaves, aquatic plants)

Teeth Growth

Continuously growing incisors

Dive Duration

Up to 15 minutes underwater

Dam Length

Up to 2,790 feet (850 m)

Active Period

Nocturnal

Social Structure

Family groups (colonies)

Quick Stats

Attribute	Value
Scientific Genus	Castor
Number of Species	2 species
Average Lifespan	10 to 20 years
Weight Range	24 to 71 lbs
Body Length	29 to 39 inches
Swimming Speed	5 mph (8 km/h)
Bite Force	180 pounds per square inch
Teeth Count	20 teeth
Conservation Status	Least Concern

About Beaver Facts: Dams, Teeth & Engineering Skills

Beavers are the second largest rodents in the world after capybaras. These remarkable animals are famous for their ability to build complex dams and lodges that transform entire ecosystems.

Teeth and Gnawing Abilities

Beavers have four large orange incisors that grow continuously throughout their lives. These teeth contain iron deposits that give them their distinctive orange color and exceptional strength. A beaver can fell a 5 inch diameter tree in just three minutes using only its teeth. Their powerful jaws generate a bite force of 180 pounds per square inch.

Dam Construction and Engineering

Beavers build dams to create deep ponds that protect them from predators and provide access to food during winter. These structures are made from logs, branches, rocks, and mud. Beavers carefully select construction materials and place them strategically for maximum stability. The largest beaver dam ever recorded measures 2,790 feet long in Alberta, Canada.

Lodges and Living Quarters

Beavers build dome shaped lodges in the middle of their ponds or along the shore. These structures have underwater entrances that prevent predator access. The lodge interior stays dry and contains a living chamber above the waterline. A typical lodge measures 6 feet high and 12 feet wide.

Diet and Feeding Behavior

Beavers are strict herbivores with a diet that changes seasonally. During spring and summer, they eat leaves, twigs, aquatic plants, grasses, and ferns. They can digest cellulose in tree bark thanks to special bacteria in their digestive system. A single beaver consumes approximately 2 pounds of wood and vegetation daily.

Physical Adaptations for Aquatic Life

Beavers are superbly adapted for life in water. Beavers have webbed hind feet that propel them through water at speeds up to 5 mph. Special valves close their ears and nostrils when submerged. Beavers can remain underwater for 15 minutes without surfacing.

Social Structure and Reproduction

Beavers are monogamous and typically mate for life. Colonies usually contain 2 to 8 individuals. Mating occurs in winter and females give birth to 1 to 6 kits in spring after a gestation of about 105 days. Baby beavers are born fully furred with open eyes and can swim within 24 hours.

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Did You Know?

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The largest beaver dam ever recorded is 2,790 feet long in Alberta and visible from space

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Beaver teeth contain iron deposits that make them orange and incredibly strong for gnawing wood

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A beaver can cut down a 5 inch diameter tree in just three minutes using only its teeth

•

Beavers can hold their breath underwater for up to 15 minutes while gathering food and building

•

Beavers have transparent eyelids that work like goggles, letting them see clearly underwater

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A single beaver can consume approximately 2 pounds of wood and vegetation every day

Frequently Asked Questions

Beaver teeth are orange because they contain high levels of iron in the enamel. This iron strengthens the teeth and makes them more resistant to wear from constant gnawing on wood. The iron deposits create the distinctive orange coloration. Beavers are born with white teeth that gradually turn orange.