The North American Beaver is the continent's largest rodent and one of the most powerful ecosystem engineers in the animal kingdom, transforming flowing streams into ponds and wetlands that increase biodiversity across entire watersheds. It fells trees with its powerful, self-sharpening orange incisors and uses them to construct dams and lodges of mud and sticks. Beavers were so heavily trapped in the 18th and 19th centuries for their fur that they were extirpated from much of their range, but have since recovered broadly across North America.
Best time to see a North American Beaver
The best time to see a North American Beaver is January–June, when about 63% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 50,685 research-grade iNaturalist observations.
Not certain it is a North American Beaver? What animal is this? walks through what to check first and the lookalikes that catch people out.
Recent North American Beaver sightings near you
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