The beaver has a large, wide, head. It has sharp, renewable, self-sharpening, enameled teeth that can cut through wood and fell a tree. The beaver is the largest rodent in North America. Its life span in the wild is about 20 years. They are one of the few animals that alter their environment in a large-scale way in order to provide themselves living space and protection.
Beavers build dams that change the course of streams and create ponds.
The presence of pointed tree stumps is a good indication that there are beavers living nearby. To create a habitat, beavers build a dam in a stream, flooding an area of the woods and creating a pond in which the beaver can build a lodge. This beaver lodge or den is located away from shore and has an underwater entrance. This makes it difficult for most predators to enter the lodge. In winter, the water around the lodge usually freezes, protecting the beaver almost completely.