The Carpenter Beaver

The Carpenter Beaver

Along time ago, many beavers lived in Scotland. But their fur became very popular for making coats, and people thought beavers tasted delicious. They hunted all the beavers until they were gone. That happened over four hundred years ago. Today scientists are worried that the beavers have not returned. So they have decided to learn more about the beaver’s habitat.

Habitat means the natural place where an animal lives. If scientists know more about how beavers live, they can encourage beavers to return to Scotland. When a beaver turns three years old, it leaves its family and swims downriver to build a new home. A beaver’s home is called a lodge. It looks like a big pile of sticks, but it is actually a carefully designed house.

Beaver lodges are made of small tree branches and mud that are piled in the shape of an upside down bowl. Most lodges are two to three meters high, three to six meters wide, and full of tunnels. Some tunnels lead to the rooms inside where the beavers live. Other tunnels store food. There are also secret tunnels that confuse predators—so hungry animals don’t make beaver soup for dinner!

Beavers build their lodges in streams, and the entrance is always underwater so that it is hard to find. For a long time, scientists were confused about the size of a beaver lodge. Most beaver families have a mom, a dad, and one to four babies, which are called kits. Why did they need so much room? After watching beavers for a long time, scientists found two answers to their question.

First, beavers build big homes because they need thick walls to keep out predators. Second, beavers need a place to store their food. Since beavers do not hibernate, they need a warm, safe place and lots of food when the weather gets cold. In the north many lakes turn to ice in the winter. The ice often traps beavers inside their lodge,