Beaver

Beavers are among the largest living rodents in the world. They have thick fur, webbed feet and flattened scale-covered tails. With powerful jaws and strong teeth, they fell trees in order to build homes and dams, often changing their environment in ways few other animals can. In fact, the idioms "busy as a beaver" and "eager beaver" are synonymous with being industrious and hardworking.
They use the secretions from these glands, a musk-like substance called castoreum, to mark territory.     
These large rodents move with an ungainly waddle on land but are graceful in the water, where they use their large, webbed rear feet like swimming fins and their paddle-shaped tails like rudders. These attributes allow beavers to swim at speeds of up to five miles an hour. They can remain underwater for 15 minutes without surfacing, and have a set of transparent eyelids that function much like goggles. Their fur is naturally oily and waterproof.
There are two species of beavers, which are found in the forests of North America, Europe, and Asia. These animals are active all winter, swimming, and foraging in their ponds even when a layer of ice covers the surface.
Category:Mammals
Category:Rodents
Category:Wildlife
Category:American Animals