Our country is rich not only for its mineral resources, but also the diversity of living things, leading an aqueous or semi-aquatic lifestyle.One of the brightest representatives of a beaver.These industrious creatures lion's share of their time in water, inhabiting streams, rivers and lakes.Let's find out why the beaver dam, as he builds, and a general way of life of these animals are.
Beaver - who is it?
Beaver plain, or river - a semi-aquatic mammal belonging to the order of rodents.He is one of two modern representatives of the family of the same name.His kinsman - Canadian beaver.These creatures are considered to be the largest rodent fauna of the Old World.
beaver dam (there is a photo in the article) - is an amazing creation, most resembling the structure erected by man.People with time even began to use the building skill of beavers for their own purposes.But we'll talk about later, but now we learn how to look these amazing "workaholics."
Appearance animal
Beavers - a rather large rodents, fully adapted to the semi-aquatic lifestyle.The length of the male body can reach 1.5 meters and the height at the withers - up to 36 centimeters.Adults weigh up to 33 kilograms.
beavers squat torso and has bochonkoobraznuyu form.Five-fingered limbs, but shortened.Hind legs much stronger front.Since most of his life spend beavers in the water between their toes are special swimming membrane.
The fur of beavers is one of the most beautiful and consists of coarse guard hairs.Underfur in fur thick but silky.The color of fur - a non-uniform, as its color depends on heredity beavers.The body color can vary from light brown to dark brown.The legs and tail are usually black.
Lifestyle
As has been repeatedly stated, these animals are semi-aquatic lifestyle.They prefer to settle along the banks of slow flowing rivers, ponds, lakes, reservoirs, irrigation canals and quarries.Beavers will never live in the broad and rapid rivers and in ponds, freezing in winter to the bottom.
Since the dam built by beavers, consists of various woods, when choosing a place of residence for these animals is crucial to the existence of the waterfront shrubs and trees, mostly soft hardwood.Important role in this play and the abundance of aquatic and riparian vegetation (in Vol. H. Grasses), the basis of their diet.
As you know, these animals live as one by one or in groups.Typically, a complete family includes 5-7 species - a married couple and the young with the past and current years.The boundaries of their own territory, these rodents are labeled using secret musk glands that make so-called castoreum.
River "engineers»
Beavers has a broad appeal and universal respect as a skilled four-footed "civil engineers", as well as the creators of unique loggers and dams.These animals are not only a symbol of perseverance and hard work, but also gave people some experience.The fact that the dam beavers - a breakthrough in the construction and engineering ready solution that people borrowed it from these river inhabitants!
Scientists noticed that the beavers that live near large bodies of water can not build at all and no dams.They simply dig yourself a hole in a steep bank.But this is the exception rather than the norm.Still famous for these animals a phenomenal ability to partition off dams entire streams, as well as a valuable skill-building lodges islands inaccessible for enemies.
How beavers build their dams?
beaver dam being constructed as follows.The animals gnaw at first base of the tree, after which it falls.Fallen trunk - is a ready-made base of the dam.Further, the process of strengthening it.Beavers do it using twigs, gravel, silt, clay and stones.It is interesting that they are renovating their buildings using the same "improvised" means.
Why did they build the dam?
beaver dam (pictured below) is necessary first of all to change the direction of the river flow.This, in turn, need little animals to the water flooded the territory of the other, forming a pond there.This is where the beaver will build himself a hut (dwelling).
the way for the construction of houses River "engineers" use the same means as in the construction of dams: clay, sticks, stones, mud, twigs of shrubs and trees.
dam beavers - this is probably the most important part of their life.Without such activities, they simply will not survive: little animals will have nowhere to store food supplies, to sleep, hibernate and hide from enemies!
What are the dimensions of dams?
beaver dam under water can reach a thickness of more than 3 meters to the top, they are narrowed to 60 centimeters.Zoologists conducting the natural observations of these rodents, claim that their structures are so strong that can easily hold on not only the person, but a whole horse!
How are beaver lodges?
These houses are like inverted cups.Properly constructed beaver dam will protect them from their enemies, and the water will never flood their homes.Therefore, the animals have nothing to fear.Khatky usually have two rooms.One of them stuffed beavers fine gravel, and the other - victuals.
