North American Beaver

Castor canadensis

Difficult (Monogamous)

The **North American Beaver** (*Castor canadensis*) is a large North American rodent featured in the *Planet Zoo* North America Animal Pack.

## Zoopedia Description

### General

**Population In Wild:** 10,000,000 - 15,000,000

The North American beaver is a large species of rodent that lives in the temperate woodland and riverine areas of the USA and Canada. The North American beaver has a double coat, meaning its fur has a surface layer of long, coarse hairs and an undercoat of shorter, finer hairs. This coat gives the beaver´s fur a coarse appearance. The beaver may be brown. red or tan in appearance and have small ears and eyes, a black nose high on the snout, and large, pronounced front teeth. North American beavers have a head-body length of 29 to 36in and a tail length of 7.9 to 14in. They weigh between 24 and 70.4lb. The North American beaver is not endangered

### Social

The North American beaver lives in family groups of a mated pair, their young adult offspring, and the litter of kits from that year

### Reproduction

Male and female beavers are monogamous and will usually mate between December and March each year, although mating peaks occur in January and February. In preparation for the mating season, male and female beavers will build a lodge. A lodge is a mound of woody material that is found in water. The entrance to the lodge is usually underwater. The centre of the lodge is hollow and above water.

During the mating season, the male beaver remains very close to the female. He will smell the female´s urine to monitor when she is fertile. Beavers mate in water. The male will circle the female before climbing on top of her and copulating with her. The female may be submerged for much of the process.

After a gestation period of approximately 3 months, the female will give birth to 1-4 kits in the central part of the lodge. Kits begin swimming in a few days after birth and begin eating solid food by 2 weeks old. They are fully weaned by 3 months old.

Kits reach sexual maturity at around 2 years old. But are very unlikely to reproduce for the first time until they are 3 years old. Kits are likely to be chased away from their natal group by their parents when they are between 20 months and 2 years old, although some beavers have been known to stay with their natal group until they are 4 years old.

Dispersing young adult beavers will move several kilometers away from their parent´s lodge and search for an unattached unrelated beaver of the opposite sex. These two beavers will then build their own lodge and start their own family.

## Animal Care

 FEEDING STATIONS
 FOOD ENRICHMENT
Slow Feeder · Block of Frozen Fruit · Melon Feeder · Underwater Plant Feeder
Herb Scent Marker · Rubber Duck · Small Ball · Small Ice Ball Enrichment · Small Ball Colourful · Water Jet · Water Jet Rock · Beaver Pool · Curio Ball · Submarine Buoy

## Trivia

### Zoopedia Fun Facts

* North American beavers can remain underwater for up to 15 minutes.
* north American beavers can recognize their relatives even if they are born several years apart and have never previously met.
* North American beavers may slap their tail on the surface of water repeatedly in response to danger.
* North American beavers are known to store food in branches underwater near their lodge so they have food throughout the winter.
* The North American beaver secretes an oil called 'castoreum' which it uses to waterproof its fur - it can be used in perfume and food production.

### Other Trivia

* The North American Beaver was revealed at the earliest during a Live Art Community Stream.
* In the 1.8 Update, the North American Beaver was given Aquatic suitability.
* The North American Beaver is the national animal of Canada

## References

1. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2zlrRmKL2w