American beaver
Castor canadensis
At the Detroit Zoo
A family of three American beavers resides at the Jane and Frank Warchol Beaver Habitat on the northern edge of the Cotton Family Wetlands: male Linden and females Eve and Sassafras.
Description
The largest rodents in North America have lustrous reddish- or blackish-brown, waterproof fur coats, webbed hind feet and broad, flat, scaly tails that are roughly 10 inches long. Beavers have disproportionately large skulls and four powerful, orange-colored teeth – two upper and two lower incisors – that are used to gnaw on tree bark. Their small, round ears can close to keep water out.
Fun Facts
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Beavers are a “keystone” species and have the ability to change the earth’s landscape.