Canadian beaver: dimensions, food, habitat and description. Canadian beaver in Russia

The Canadian beaver is a semi-aquatic mammal that belongs to a detachment of rodents. They are the second largest rodents. In addition, the Canadian beaver is an unofficial symbol of Canada.

Types of beavers

At the moment, there are two types: the Canadian beaver, the river beaver (European). They are very similar to each other, except that the first is slightly larger. Once they spread throughout Europe, North America and Asia, but today the population has declined significantly. This is the fault of the man who arranged the hunt for these animals because of their fur and meat.

Differences between Canadian and ordinary beavers

Both representatives of the species are very similar in appearance, although the Eurasian one differs in size. He has a larger and less round head, while the muzzle is shorter. Also the tail is narrower, and the undercoat is smaller. In addition, the Eurasian has shorter limbs, therefore, he does not move well on his hind legs.

Almost 70% of ordinary beavers have brown or light brown fur color, in 20% it is chestnut, 8% have a dark brown hue, and only 4% have fur black. Half of the Canadian beavers have a light brown hue, 25% are brown and 5% have a black hue.

In an ordinary beaver, the nasal bones are much longer, and the nostrils have a triangular shape, while the Canadian have triangular holes. The European anal glands are larger. In addition, there are differences in the color of fur.

After repeated attempts to cross an American male and a Eurasian female, the females either did not become pregnant at all, or gave birth to dead cubs. Most likely, inter-species reproduction is impossible. Between these populations there is not only a territorial barrier, but also a difference in DNA.

In addition to external differences, these two representatives of this family have differences in the number of chromosomes. Thus, Canadian beavers have forty chromosomes, and their usual 48. The difference in the number of chromosomes is the reason for the unsuccessful cross-breeding of data from representatives of different continents.

Another difference between beavers can be considered a disaster: the Canadian beaver does not build dams, it creates huge dams in comparison with the buildings of his brother from Europe. Such structures in length can stretch for several hundred meters. Since today the Canadian beaver in Russia is actively populating the regions, their structures radically change the ecology. As a result, dams on the adjacent territory cause flooding, and what is interesting is: the less the terrain they inhabit, the greater their influence zone! They change the fullness of rivers with all the environmental problems that follow from this. In addition, Canadian vandals "mow" nearby forests, namely they form the coastlines and in general are the most important environmental factor. In addition, beavers from the nearest state farms and farms steal crops, and also there are all kinds of riots.

Spread

The Canadian beaver is found in Alaska (in North America), except for the northern, northeastern and eastern coasts; In Canada; In the US, almost everywhere, in addition to Florida, the main part of Nevada and California; In the northern part of Mexico. I was also brought to the countries of Scandinavia. From Finland penetrated the Leningrad region and Karelia. Introduced on Sakhalin and Kamchatka, as well as in the Amur basin.

Lifestyle

His way of life is similar to that of a Eurasian. Beaver Canadian is also active at night, only occasionally appears in the daytime and sometimes drifts away from the water. Animals remarkably dive and swim and can remain under water for up to fifteen minutes. Beavers live in families up to eight individuals - a couple of parents and her children. Young individuals with parents remain up to two years. Families are always territorial and guard their sites from other animals.

The boundaries of the site are marked by a beaver jet (the secret of the anal glands), which is applied to mounds of silt and mud. In danger, animals are beaten by the tail on the water, thus giving an alarm signal. Like Eurasians, they live in huts, which are built from brushwood, oiled with earth and mud. From the huts there are passages under the water; In them the floor is covered with bark, wood shavings and grass. The Canadian beaver in burrows settles much less often than its Eurasian brother. To regulate the speed of the current and the water level, he builds dams of branches, logs, silt, stones, clay on the rivers. Canadians are remarkable for their great building abilities.

Reproduction

Usually beavers live in families consisting of a female and a male, as well as youngsters of the previous and current year. The breeding season in most places is January-February. The offspring of the previous year, who is at this time at the age of about two years, is expelled from the colony to seek shelter elsewhere, as well as his couple.

The pregnancy period is 107 days, and the male with the children temporarily moves to a special hole before the birth of the offspring in the period from April to June. The act of birth takes several days, mostly up to 5 beavers appear. Children are completely covered, their incisors are noticeable, their eyes are open. Only having been born, the Bobryats are already quite calmly entering the water, as they can swim from the moment of their appearance. The main number of adults is monogamous, a couple can decay only with the death of a partner.

Food

Canadian, or North American, beaver eats only vegetable food. These animals feed on shoots and bark of trees, choose willow, aspen, birch and poplar. In addition, they eat all kinds of herbaceous plants (egg, water lily, cattail, iris, reed, etc., totaling up to three hundred names). A huge number of softwood trees is a necessary condition for their dwelling. Lime, hazel, cherry, elm and other trees in their diet are of secondary importance. Oak and alder they do not eat, while they apply for their buildings. The daily amount of food is up to a fifth of the animal's weight. A powerful bite and large teeth make it possible for beavers to easily cope with planted solid forages.

In summer, the proportion of herbaceous forage increases in the diet of beavers. In the fall, they are engaged in harvesting food for frost. They store the reserves in the water, where they are able to preserve their valuable nutritional qualities until February. In order that the food in the ice does not freeze, the beavers podtaplivayut it under the overhanging steep banks below the water level. So even after freezing the pond food remains accessible under thick ice.

Number of

The beaver Canadian, unlike the Eurasian, who was almost completely exterminated, suffered much less. It does not apply to protected species; Its population reaches 15 million individuals, but before the colonization of North America began, it was more than a dozen times. These animals were intensively hunted for the sake of meat and furs, and this by the beginning of the nineteenth century led to a rapid reduction in their range. Then, thanks to restorative and security measures, their total number increased significantly.

Man and beaver

To date, the Canadian beaver in some states is regarded as an exceptionally harmful animal, since the dams built by these animals lead to the flooding of the terrain. At the same time, their construction activities can completely destroy the vegetation along the coast. Although in general, beavers have a good impact on coastal and aquatic biotopes, while creating the conditions for the prosperity of various organisms.

Beaver is the national animal of Canada. It is depicted on a 5 cent coin. In addition, it is a symbol of the states of New York and Oregon, and is also depicted on the emblems of the California and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Fur coat: Canadian beaver

This coat in Russia has long been valued. It is exceptionally fluffy, soft and very warm fur. Having a unique undercoat, it successfully approaches to the Russian climate conditions and is able to save from all weather. Such a fur coat by the quality of socks (this is considered one of the main criteria in the hierarchy of valuable furs) surpasses even the mink. In addition, the beaver is not afraid of moisture, and this among the fur is a huge rarity. He also becomes fluffy under the wet snow.

This fur in the work is not the easiest. Exclusive and, therefore, the most expensive is considered a plucked fur. The technology of plucking is a jewelry-intensive process, which greatly increases the cost of the fur coat, while making it especially airy and light. In the work, only whole skins of young animals are used. For each product the color scale is chosen individually. Sometimes this can take a whole year. Although the result is a real picture of the color harmonious gamma, shimmering with natural shades from light to dark.

Interesting Facts

• During bathing, the flat beaver tail serves the animal as a real oar.
• The beaver is considered to be the second largest (after capybaran) rodent living today.
• In an emergency, he loudly slaps his tail on the water in order to warn his relatives.
• The animal has webbed feet, which makes it an excellent swimmer.
• Under the water, the beaver can stay for fifteen minutes.