The dam of beavers is a ready engineering solution in human life!

Our country is rich not only with its minerals, but also with a variety of living creatures, leading a water or near-water way of life. One of the brightest representatives is the beaver. These hardworking animals spend the lion's share of their time in the water, inhabiting creeks, rivers, lakes. Let's find out why the beaver dam, how it builds it, and what kind of life these animals lead.

Beaver - who is this?

The beaver is ordinary, or the river is a semi-aquatic mammal that belongs to a detachment of rodents. He is one of two modern representatives of the same family. His relative is a Canadian beaver. These creatures are considered the largest rodents of the animal world of the Old World.

The dam of beavers (photo is present in the article) is an amazing creation, most reminiscent of the structure erected by man. People eventually began to use the building skill of beavers for their own personal purposes. But we'll talk about this later, and now we'll find out what these amazing "workaholics" look like.

Appearance of the animal

Beavers are fairly large rodents, fully adapted to the semi-aquatic lifestyle. The body length of the male can reach 1.5 meters, and the height at the withers - up to 36 centimeters. Adult individuals weigh up to 33 kilograms.

The trunk of the beavers is squat and has a barrel-like shape. The limbs are five-fingered, but shortened. Hind legs much stronger than front. Since most of the life of beavers is carried out in the water, there are special swimming membranes between their fingers.

The fur of the beavers is one of the most beautiful and consists of rough coarse hair. The underarm in the fur is thick, but silky. The color of the fur is heterogeneous, because its color depends on the heredity of the beavers. Body color can vary from light chestnut to brownish-dark. Paws and tail are usually black.

Lifestyle

As has been repeatedly said, these animals lead a semi-aquatic life. They prefer to settle along the banks of slowly flowing rivers, ponds, lakes, reservoirs, quarries and irrigation canals. Beavers will never live in wide and fast rivers, as well as in reservoirs that freeze in winter to the very bottom.

Since the dam built by the beavers consists of different woods, when choosing a residence for these animals, the presence of shrubs and trees on the shores of the reservoir is of decisive importance, especially soft hardwoods. A big role in this is played by the abundance of water and coastal vegetation (including grass), which forms the basis of their diet.

As you know, these animals live alone or in groups. Usually a full family includes 5-7 individuals - a married couple and youngsters from the past and current years. The boundaries of their own territories, these rodents are labeled with the secret of the musk glands entering the so-called beaver stream.

River "engineers"

Beavers have gained wide popularity and universal respect as skilful four-legged "construction engineers", as well as loggers and creators of unique dams. These animals became not only a symbol of perseverance and diligence, but also gave people some experience. The fact is that the dam of beavers is a real breakthrough in construction and a ready engineering solution that people have borrowed from these river inhabitants!

Scientists have noticed that beavers living in large reservoirs may not build any dams at all. They just need to dig a hole in a steep bank. But this is more an exception than the norm. Yet these animals are famous for their phenomenal ability to block dams with whole streams, as well as a valuable skill in the construction of hut-islands, inaccessible to enemies.

How do beavers build their dams?

The dam of beavers is erected as follows. The animals first bite the base of the tree, after which it falls. The fallen trunk is the ready base of the dam. Then there is a process of strengthening it. Beavers do this with the help of branches, rubble, silt, clay and stones. It is curious that they repair their structures with the help of the same "improvised" means.

Why do they build dams?

The dam of beavers (photo below) is necessary primarily for changing the direction of the river flow. This, in turn, is necessary for the animals to ensure that the water floods other areas, forming a pond there. It is in this place that the beaver will build a hut (dwelling) for itself.

Incidentally, for the construction of small houses, river "engineers" use the same means as when building dams: clay, sticks, stones, silt, branches of bushes and trees.

The dam of beavers is, perhaps, the most important component of their life. Without such activities, they simply will not survive: the animals will have nowhere to store food supplies, spend the night, winter and hide from enemies!

What are the dimensions of the dams?

The dam of beavers under the water can reach a thickness of more than 3 meters, to the top they narrow to 60 centimeters. Zoologists who conducted natural observations of these rodents, argue: their structures are so strong that they can easily hold on to not only a person, but a whole horse!

What does a beaver's hut look like?

These houses look like inverted cups. A well-constructed dam of beavers will cover them from enemies, and water will never flood their homes. Therefore, animals have nothing to fear. Huts, as a rule, have two rooms. One of them beavers are stuffed with small gravel, and the other with provisions.