Beaver: How does rodent live in nature? Than Russia is threatened by Canadian Beaver, Borschevik and other aliens than the American beaper differs from European

In nature there are two types of beavers: ordinary Beaver I. canadian. The first look inhabits Eurasia, the second in North America. These languages \u200b\u200bhave close related relationships with proteins. Specify the generality of certain structural similarities of the lower jaw and skull. At the same time, the behavior of these representatives of the rodent detachment differs significantly. Beaver lives only near the water. She is his native element. In another environment, it cannot exist. It concerns this and Canadian animals, and Eurasian. Both species have certain differences, there were no reason to be allocated in separate populations.

Differences between Canadian and Ordinary Bobo

Externally, representatives of two different species are very similar to each other. But eurasian Beaques larger. He has a bigger and less round head. The muzzle is more elegant if so you can put it and shorter. Shorter undercoat, and the tail is already than that of Canadian. The limbs are shorter, so Eurasian is less adapted to the hidden in the hind legs. In ordinary beavers, nasal bones are longer. The nasal holes have a triangular shape. Canadians have oval. Anal glands from Eurasian larger. The color of the fur differs.

Almost 70% of ordinary beavers have brown or light brown fur. Chestnut shade is present in 20% of Eurasians. Dark brown has 8%, and purely black only 4%. Canadians have half of all beavers flames in light brown skin. A reddish brown tint boasts 25%. Brown skins wears 20%, and the blacks remaining 5%.

These two species differ in the amount of chromosomes. Canadians have 40, and Eurasians 48. Despite this, people made many attempts to cross representatives of different continents. At the same time, females were from Europe, and males from America. As a result of females or did not give birth at all, or gave birth to dead cubs. From here we can conclude that the interspecific reproduction is impossible. These populations are separated from each other not only by thousand kilometers of ocean stroit, but also the features of DNA.

Bobrov sizes and appearance

Bobrov female larger males. They dominate the males. Canadian beaver weighs from 15 to 35 kg. The usual weight is 20 kg with a body length of about 1 meter. These animals grow all their life, so old beasrs can reach weight 45 kg. Ordinary or Eurasian Beaver has a body weight of 30-32 kg with a body length of 1-1.3 meters. The usual body height is 35 cm.

The bodies in animals are squat. On the limbs of 5 fingers. There are membranes between them. Claws flat. The tail in shape resembles a paddle. Its length does not exceed 30 cm. In the width, it is usually 10-12 cm. There is no hair on the tail. It is covered with horny plates, between which rare hairs make their way. In the middle of the tail on its entire length stretches a horn ledge, resembling a ship Kiel. The ears are short, the eyes are small. Bloodstock thick, coarse, coarse hair. Fur beautiful, practical and enjoys commercial demand.

Reproduction and life expectancy

Couples at Bobrov are created for life. Only death can only separate. The marriage period falls for the winter. Pairing takes place in water. The term of pregnancy at the ordinary beaver is 107 days, Canadian - 128 days. In the litter there are from 2 to 6 cubs. Their usual weight reaches up to 400 grams. Dairy feeding lasts 3 months. Swim kids start a week after birth. Samtsov, sexual maturation occurs in 3 years. Most females also have in 3 years. Each fifth female is able to reproduce offspring in 2 years. Bobrov's life expectancy in nature is 20-25 years old. In favorable conditions, the animal lives to 35 years.

Behavior and nutrition

Beaver is a herbivorous animal. He is happy to eat emerges, water lilies. He glands Coru from Osina, Poplar, Willow, Alder, Birch, Clane. But, in any case, young shoots seduce it more. At first glance, it may seem that these rodents cause irreparable harm to the surrounding nature. But this is an erroneous opinion. Beasts bring undoubted benefit ecosystem by creating wetlands. They are simply necessary for many other animal species.

Bobras will fly trees, but not where it fell, but in certain places, from which it is very convenient to fasten the hard trunks to the river. Course, branches, leaves of the beasts are glad, and the trunks go to the construction of the dam. It is thanks to her and the dams are created. They will grow different insects, thereby attracting numerous species of birds. Birds bring on feathers and paws to caviar fish. Thus, fish appears in dams.

Water, in turn, leaking through such structures, is cleared by heavy suspension and sludge. In the dams, many plants are dying. That is, a large number of dead wood appears. It is necessary for certain types of animals and plants. Damaged beable trees also serve as a stern for hoofs. That is, nature from the activities of rodents only wins, but a person loses. Created dams can be broken down and destroying crops, as well as bloss off the motorway and railway mounds.

CONSTRUCTION OF PLANDS PLANTS is a special conversation. These amazing rodents live in Norah or special "homes" who do themselves. Holes are root in steep shores. They are long and are a whole labyrinth with several inputs. The floor in such nonoras is slightly higher than the water level. If the river is spread, then the animals scrape the ground from the ceiling and, thus, "raise" the floor.

In addition to the holes, Bobra are building "at home". On the shales they collect in a bunch of dry branches of trees and deceive their clay, earth and sludge. Inside the heap is made free space, towering over the water. The entrance to it is carried out from under the water. The height of such a structure reaches 3 meters, and the diameter of 10 meters. Walls "House" are very strong. They serve as excellent protection from predatory animals. When building their housing, the animals work the front paws. Preparing for cold, apply an extra layer of clay and land on the walls. Therefore, in the winter months, there is always a plus temperature in such structures, and water in the lazes does not freeze. In their dwellings, beavers support perfect order. They never happen food waste and excrement.

Beaver is a social animal, so all rodents are combined into families. Usually in one family there are up to 10 individuals. These are married couples and young animals that have not reached more puberty. On the same plot one family can live a whole century. The length of such a land plot along the coast comes to 3-4 km. From the shore of rodents is rarely removed by more than 200-300 meters. All their life is associated with the river. Single beavers come across and are young hasting bachelors, just left their family. They live in Norah and eventually get seized by the family.

Construction of dams

Why bobras build dams? In order for them to have more water. Very often, the Bobrov family tastes a small stream or a small river. To raise the water level, rodents and erected dams. As a result, the river turns into a small lake, and for animals this is the most present expanse. In the water they mate, fall into the dwellings and, of course, protect their lives from predatory animals. Beaver can be under water can be a maximum of 15 minutes. Upon apparent danger, such sweating results are very helpful to rodents.

First, beavers are determined with the construction site. Preference is given to those places where the opposite shores will take apart from each other at the lowest distance. An important role is also played by the presence of trees near the coast. This is the main building material. The ablosted trunks of the beasts stick vertically to the bottom of the river. Between them labeled large stones and closed them with her. Threaded branches. Fasten their clay. It turns out a very strong design.

Dam's length can reach up to 30 meters. At the base, it is wider, about 5-6 meters. He is tightened with height. At the very top of the dam reaches a 2 meter width. Height is 3, and 4, and 5 meters. Stories are known when Bobras built dams of 500 long and even 850 meters. With a strong course, additional dams are built and special drains are made so that the structure does not collapse when the river is spilling. Rodents are constant monitoring the state of the dam. Small leaks and destruction are immediately eliminated.

Number Bobrov

As for the number of Canadian Bobrov, then there are about 100 million in North America. By the end of the XIX century, rodents were almost completely exterminated. Sorry crumbs remained from a huge population. By the beginning of the 20th century, prohibitions on catching these animals were introduced. Today in America there are more than 10 million rodents. In Eurasia, the situation was even worse. At the beginning of the XX century, approximately 1,200 poor animals lived in vast territories. After 100 years, thanks to prohibitions, their numbers increased to 700 thousand. In most European countries, ordinary beaver received the second birth, since it was destroyed in these regions in the XVII-XIX centuries.

In nature there are two types of Bobrov: ordinary beaver living in Eurasia, and Canadian Beaver living in North America. What do these two species differ and what they are similar, consider further ...

Both species have related roots with, as evidenced by the similarities of the lower jaw. But the behavior of these representatives of rodents is different. They live near the water, which is the native elements for them. Without water, neither Eurasian or Canadian Beaver cannot exist without water. The ordinary and Canadian beaver have certain differences in connection with which they relate to different populations.

Differences between Canadian and Ordinary Bobo

Outwardly, both representatives of the species are extremely similar, but Eurasian Beaquen is characterized by larger sizes. He has a less round and greater head, while his muzzle is shorter. The ordinary beaver is lower, and the tail is already. In addition, Eurasian has shorter limbs, so it goes badly on the hind legs.

The nasal bones in an ordinary beaver is longer, the nostrils have a triangular shape, and the Canadians have triangular nasal holes. European beauty has larger anal glands. There are also differences and in the colors of fur.

Practical from 70% Eurasian beavers fur of light brown or brown, in 20% chestnut fur, 8% are dark brown, and 4% is black. In 50% of Canadian beavers, the skin has a light brown tone, in 25% - brown, and 5% is black.

In addition to external differences, these two family representatives have differences in the amount of chromosomes. Canadian beavers have 40 chromosomes, and ordinary beavers - 48. A different number of chromosomes has caused the unsuccessful crossing of these representatives of different continents.

After repeated attempts to cross the Eurasian female and the American male, females were either not pregnant at all, or gave birth to dead young. Most likely, interspecific reproduction is impossible. Between both populations is not only a barrier in thousands of kilometers, but also differences in DNA.

Bobrov sizes and their appearance

Bobrov's females are larger than males, besides the females dominate. The average weight of Canadian beavers is 15-35 kilograms, most often they weigh 20 kilograms at a body length of 1 meter. Canadian beavers grow throughout life, so old individuals can weigh up to 45 kilograms.

Eurasian beavers, on average, weigh 30-32 kilograms, with a body length of 1-1.3 meters, and with a rise of 35 centimeters.

Canadian beavers have a squat body. On the limbs they have 5 fingers with flat claws. There are membranes between the fingers. The tail in form is similar to the body, its width is 10-12 centimeters, and the length is 30 centimeters. From above, the tail is covered with horn plates, and hairs grow between them. From the middle of the tail the horny protrusion is stretched, similar to ship keel.

The eyes of the animal are small, and the ears are short. Canadian beavers have a thick, practical undercoat with rude steam hair. Beautiful fur is highly appreciated in a commercial plan.

Beaver Behavior

Bobras - herbivore mammals, their favorite delicacy - water lilies and the SC. Beavers eat a bark with trees of alder, poplar, maple, aspens, birch, but still prefer young shoots.

At first glance, it may seem that beavers harm the surrounding nature, but such an opinion is erroneous. Thanks to the premiums, wetlands appear, which are very important for the ecosystem. These animals are filled with trees, but not in any place, but only where the tree is convenient to adjust to the water. Bobra trunks are used for the construction of dams, and the branches, bark, and the leaves they slightly.

Building dams, beavers organize dams in which insects are sewn, as a result, birds arrive at dams, which in their paws and feathers bring fish to caviar. Thus, the dams are divorced in dams.

Water that leaks through the dam is cleaned from the sludge and heavy suspension. Some plants die in dams, and a large amount of dead wood is formed, which is important for the existence of certain plants and animals.

The remains of the fallen trees go to the feed of the uncoid and a variety of insects. That is, the construction activities of Bobrov is in favor of nature. But a person such dams may cause inconvenience: dams are spilled and melted sowing, ripe rails and highways.

Live beavers in Norah, who dig in steep shores. These holes have a greater length, they are a real labyrinth with several inputs. Beaners make the floor in nonorah above the water level, if the water is spilled, then the rodent scraps the ground from the ceiling and thereby raises the floor level.

Beavers build not only holes, but also "at home". They are folded on a bunch of branches, and then deceive their clay and shel. Inside it turns out a free space that rumbles over the water. Bobra's house falls from under the water. Bobrov's houses in height reach 3 meters, and their diameter is about 10 meters. In such houses there are very strong walls that are well defended the owners from predators.

Beavers take their homes with the help of the front paws. By winter, the house additionally insulate the layer of land and clay, so that there is always a plus temperature in them, even when on the street of frost. Water at the entrance to Noura does not freeze. These rodents love purity, there are no excrement and food waste in their dwellings.

Bobras - social animals, they form their own families. One family consists of about 10 individuals - these are parents and young people who have not achieved sexual age. On the same territory, the Bobrov family can live throughout the whole century. The size of the territory owned by the family along the coast is 3-4 kilometers. As a rule, the beaver from the shore is not deleted to the distance further than 200-300 meters.

Young female beavers after left the family, they live alone for some time, in constructed Norah, but over time they will be seized their own family.

Construction of dams

What are the premium to breed dams? So that they have more water. Quite often, the Bobrov family settles on a small river or a stream to raise the water level in them, rodents and these grandiose buildings are erected. Thanks to the dam from the river, a small lake is obtained, which is for beavers favorite habitat.

Listen to the voice of beaver

Bobrov's life depends entirely on the river. In the water, beavers mate, fall in shelter and saved from predators. Under water, these rodents may be no more than 15 minutes. When there is a clear danger, the ability to delay the air is very helpful.

Before eating the dam, beavers are determined with the construction site. Rodents choose places on which opposite shores are close to each other. Also, beavers pay attention to the presence of trees on the shore, as they are the main building material. Rodents slight trees trunks and stick them vertically in the bottom of the river, the space between the trunks is climbing with stones and shel. The surface part is strengthened by branches and clay. Such structures are very strong and reliable.

The dam, built by beabonds, can reach a length of 30 meters. At the base of the dam is wider - about 5-6 meters, and at the top, the design is narrowed to 2 meters. In the height of the structure reaches 3-5 meters. Dams are fixed, built by beagins, a length of 500 and 850 meters.

If the river is strong, the beavers build additional dams and make special drains that prevent the design of the structure when the river is spilling. Rodents constantly monitor their creations, instantly eliminating small destruction and leaks.

Reproduction and life expectancy of beavers

Canadian beavers create couples for life, separation occurs only after death. The marriage period in animals begins in winter. The pairing process occurs in water. Pregnancy from Canadian Bobrov continues 128 days, and ordinary beavers - 107 days.

2-6 kids are born to 400 grams. The female feeds bobryat milk for 3 months. 1 week after the birth of kids are already capable of swimming. The males are fully formed by the 3rd year. Most females have sexual ripening and comes in 3 years. Females are capable of producing offspring 1 time in 2 years.

In the wild, Canadian beavers live 20-25 years old, and with favorable conditions of life they live to 35 years.

Number of species

Not so long ago in North America there were 100 million Canadian beavers, but by the end of the XIX century, rodents were almost completely destroyed. Only minor residues remained from the once big population.

At the beginning of the 20th century, a ban on the destruction of beavers was established. Today in America, the number of Canadian beavers is more than 10 million individuals. In Eurasia, the situation was significantly worse - by the end of the twentieth century, no more than 1,200 individuals remained on this huge territory.

The prohibition of their destruction has been valid for 100 years, as a result, the number has increased to 700 thousand rodents. In many European countries, beavers were completely exterminated in the XVII-XIX centuries, and today they received the second birth there.

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Canadian beaver - skillful and tireless builder. From day to day, he is engaged in the arrangement of the habitat, seeking to create for its family as comfortable conditions as possible.

HABITAT

The habitat of the Canadian beauty extends from Alaska to the northern border of Mexico, but the most numerous populations of this rodent live in Canada. Easily adapting to the most different climatic conditions, beavers are found in the mountains at an altitude of up to 3000 m and perfectly feel both in the warmth of the southern territories of the United States and on the snow-covered Alaska. Typically, beavers will settle down on the shores of slowly current rivers and streams, preferring the plots, densely overgrown with puments, maples, birchings, poplars and alder, which make up their diet.

SECURITY

Before the appearance of European colonists in America, millions of beavers lived (24 subspecies were described in science). In the pursuit of a valuable fur, the Europeans began to mercilessly destroy these rodents, and by the beginning of the 20th century, Canadian beavers were on the verge of complete disappearance, and many subspecies were irrevocably lost. In time, sprouting, people took beavers under protection, introduced a strict ban on hunting, and in 1920-60. A number of recovery programs have been successfully implemented. The current residential habitat of Canadian beavers is close to the original, and the state of their population is constantly monitored. In recent years, restricted animal animals have been resolved again to obtain the Ferry.

LIFESTYLE

Bobras live on strictly defined home sectors, marking the boundaries of their possessions of the secret of paired musky glands, located next to the anal hole. Border columns of animals are located at certain points of the pile of twigs. A single family lives on a lured plot, consisting of a couple of adult rodents and their offspring in 2-3 years old. Partners keep faithful to each other until the death of one of the spouses. The female is a bit bigger and massive male. Having taking the territory by the river, the beavers are built on the dam river, which partially delays watercourses, and with its help regulate the water level in the resulting dam. Sometimes beaners arrange the channels for which trees, branches and other materials for their facilities are fused. In the presence of steep banks, beavers dig deep holes, and on low wetched shores, surface wrecks build. In both cases, the entrance to the nesting chamber is located under the surface of the water, and the network of underground corridors sometimes reaches a length of 10 m. "Hall", located at the water level, serves to dry the fur, and the floor above is the bedroom, fascinated by soft chips. In the root built of the root, the root of the huts will certainly have a vent hole. The diet of Bobrov is a purely vegetarian. With sharp cutters, they cut the trunks and eat branches, fresh leaves and bark of fallen trees. With no less appetite, they are torn by the greens of aquatic plants - water lishes, RDesta and risas. At the end of the summer, the beasts begin to collect food reserves for the winter and fold on the bottom of the dam of the bile of cut branches, pressing them with stones. In cold water, the plants are perfectly preserved, and the stock owners have fresh food all winter. Beavers are superbly swimming and dive, rowing with rear paws and a wide tail, which at the same time serves as a steering paddle. Life in water requires careful care of a fur coat, and Beaver brushes for a long time and lubricates the fur with the oily secret of the anal glands to protect it from wetting, taking advantage of the rear paw claws, as if scallops. Members of the family communicate with each other by gentle grumbling sounds. Bobras are active usually at night, and only in the most deaf forest corners feed or build dams during the day. The disturbed beast loudly splits the tail on the water to warn all the family, and instantly disappears from sight. All winter beavers spend in the nest, visiting their underwater pantry for the next portion of the branches.

Reproduction

The breeding season at Bobrov is dedicated to January - February. Before pairing, partners will be put in water to marriage games for a long time. The flow, during which the female can be fertilized, lasts only 10 hours. After love preludes and pretended versions, without which the marriage ritual does not go, the partners are mate, without leaving the water from the ice. Pregnancy lasts 100-110 days. In April or May three-four beans are born, although a healthy female with a sufficient feed reserve can bring to nine young. Bobryata Roll by sighted, covered with fur and weigh about 500 g. They are able to swim from birth, but gentle children's fur does not provide reliable thermal insulation, so 2-3 weeks of kids are sitting in the nest until use the underwater entrance. All this time, mother feeds them with milk up to 9 times a day. Mothermary milk is very nutritious, and the bobryat quickly grow up, gaining up to 10 kg to the outcome of the first year of life. At 2-3 weeks, dive learn from the nature of the kids.

Approximately three-monthly age, milk feeding stops, and the young starts to master the skills of the dams of the dam. All the family, including senior brothers and sisters, care about the youngest beans, and at first, every rhodium considers something delicious to the kids. During the first trucks, adult beavers drag the kids one by one, slightly grabbing his teeth for the infernal. The whole of the first winter, the cubs continue to grow and only two years reach sexual maturity. On the third year of life, young beavers leave their native hatch and go to search for their territory, where they could establish their own family.

DID YOU KNOW?

• The average length of the beaver dam is about 20 m, but some reach 600 m.
• Our European ancestors considered quite a long time. Sharing this delusion, the church allowed to use beaver meat on benchmarks. Back in the XVIII century, the Rhine monks prepared sausages from Bobryatin, who were considered a lean dish.
• Usually beaver is under water for 4-5 minutes, and the record duration record is 15 minutes. During this time, the beast can float 750 m.

Related species

In the family of beavers, two types are distinguished: Beaver Canadian and Beaver European. Due to a similar way of life, they were counted for a long time. Only genetic analysis and a comparison of the skull structure revealed significant differences, and today they are recognized as two separate species whose representatives are not cross each other.

European beaver( Castor fiber ) It can not boast the same silky fur coat as his Canadian Ring. In the XIX century, the intensive economic activity of a person led to a sharp reduction in the Bobrov population, and today they have been preserved mainly in Eastern Europe and Scandinavia. The population of these rodents in other parts of the continent and the headwinds of Yenisei is extremely few, and in some regions are protected by law. The effect of beavers on the habitat is very large, and sometimes in places of cultural forest use they cause serious damage to the tremor. In such cases, part of the animals are caught and moved to special reserves, where they can live freely and multiply.

Canadian beaver (Castor Canadensis) - Large semi-water rodent, originally from North America. Together with (Eurasian species) consists of a bobry family (Castoridae) And is the second in the world, in size, a member of the rodent squad, after the capibility.

Description

Basically, beavers are aquatic animals, as well as the largest rodents on the North American continent. They have waterproof, rich, glossy, reddish brown or black-brown wool. The undercoat is much thinner than the rest of the protective woolen cover. The ears are short and round, dark brown color. The rear paws are longer than the front, which makes the back of the body above the front while walking. Body length from 90 to 117 cm.

The skull and beauty teeth are disproportionately large. It is very important for the possibility of gnawing solid trees, such as maple and oak. Most of the upper cutters of bright orange color, they have a width of at least 5 mm and a length of 20-25 mm. These teeth grow throughout the life of the animal and necessary for survival, as well as closing nostrils, ears, and transparent membranes in front of the eyes, ideally adapted for life in aquatic environment. Beavers burned the bases of the trees with their strong cutters and thereby fool them to the ground. The front paws are used for digging, carrying and placement of building materials.

It should also be noted anal and fur glands discovered in males and females. Both glands are located at the base of the tail, which may be the most distinctive feature of the beavers. The tail is wide, flat and covered, in large parts, blacknage scales. Its length from 20 to 25 cm, and width - from 13 to 15 cm. Anal glands have dimensions: 8.6 cm by 5.5 cm, and fur - 7.6 cm by 2.4 cm. The released odor from these glands serves as labeling, and is also characteristic of beavers.

Areal

Canadian beasrs live throughout North America, with the exception of the northern regions of Canada and the deserts of the southern part of the United States and Mexico.

Habitat

Canadian beavers lead an active lifestyle, mainly at night. They are excellent swimmers and can stay underwater to 15 minutes. More vulnerable on land, so the slopes remain in the water as long as possible.

Bobras dwell on the shores of slow forest rivers, streams and lakes. Of the fallen trees, they build dams and dams, thereby regulate the level and speed of water flow. Bobras create channels for which brices are brutal to the dam. Canadian beavers have excellent construction skills and create two types of dwellings - holes and huts. Huts are floating islands, from a heap of twigs, an incelaved il and earth. Their height, an average of 1-3 meters, and the diameter of up to 10 meters, also they have underwater entrance. By winter, Canadian beavers, often plastering the houses of the earth, which becomes concrete when freezing. A small hole for air, they are made in the top of the huts. The floor is lined with bark, grass and wood chips. In Haths, beavers spend the night, store reserves for the winter, hide from predators. Unlike Eurasian species, Canadian Beaver rarely settles in Norah.

Dams protect Canadian beavers from predators and are built from branches, stones, herbs and dirt. In addition to ensuring the safety of beavers, dams serve as an excellent habitat for waterfowl, fish and other aquatic animals. Their dams help reduce soil erosion and the amount of flooding. However, bobrone dams are not constant structures and directly depend on the presence of Bobrov. As a rule, beavers focus on the construction and repair of dams in the fall, as part of preparation for the upcoming winter. In the northern regions, they often do not repair the bars in the dam made, and sometimes they themselves are partially destroyed to reduce the water level in the pond, increase the amount of oxygen under ice or get easier access to trees down from the dam.

Reproduction

Canadian beavers are monogamous, but if one partner dies, the second will look for someone else. Beavers leave their families in the second year of life. Then create your own family, as a rule, a few kilometers from the parent. The females and males become half-arms at the age of about 3 years. Depending on the environmental conditions, they produce offspring once a year.

Beavers fall from January to March in the northern regions and from the end of November-December - in the southern. Cubs are born, as a rule, from April to June. The duration of pregnancy is about 3 months, or 105-107 days. Newborn beavers are completely pubescent, have open eyes and a day later you can swim. A few days later they can dive into the water along with their parents to explore the surroundings.

At birth, the baby's body length is about 38 cm, including their tails. As a rule, they weigh from 250 to 600 grams and can be red, brown or almost black. They stay in a house for a month, after which they begin to swim for a long time and feed on solid food. Most beavers feed on maternal milk for two weeks, although some are drawn up to 90 days.

Parental care begins before birth and continues up to 1-2 years, while young beavers have reached the stage of independence. The male and female ensure their offspring of food and protect against predators.

Life expectancy

Bobras eat bark and cambium (soft growing fabric under the crust of trees). Their favorites are the following trees: Iva, maple, poplar, beech, birch, alder, aspen. They are also powered by aquatic plants, kidneys and roots. Cellulose, which in most mammals does not split, is the main component of the beaver diet and digested with the participation of the intestinal tract microflora, which digest this element. In zoos, beavers feed on yams, salad, carrots and "feed for rodents."

Behavior

Bobras usually live in family groups up to 8 individuals related by blood relations. The offspring remains with its parents until 2 years, helps to take care of the younger brothers and sisters, collect food and help build dams. Bobras - territorial animals that are protected from other families. One way of protection is the territory label from the help of a beaver jet, which with urine falls on mud horms. Bobras also warn others about danger, with powerful cotton tail on water. However, this method is not always effective, since the older generation ignores the warning cotton families of the younger family members who often enjoy them during the game.

To a greater degree, Bobra lead a nightlife and only occasionally overlook during the day, as a rule, in the evening. In search of food, rodents are departed over long distances from their homes. If you find a good source of food, beavers build channels on water and transport food to houses. The logs and branches are often stored under water for nutrition in winter.

Threats

Young beavers are very vulnerable, they threaten bears, wolves, wolverines, lynks, fishermen and otters. The size of an adult beaver is a deterrent for most predators. And although natural predators are a very real danger to Canadian beavers, a person proved that he is definitely the most important threat to these rodents. The murder of beavers for the sake of skins, the change in the habitat and environmental pollution adversely affects the population of Canadian beavers.

Economic importance for man: positive

The beaver fur was an important trading unit of the last century and allowed the sellers to receive large amounts of money.

Bobras are incredibly useful for the environment. They play an important role in creating a habitat for many aquatic organisms, maintaining groundwater at the appropriate level and control of floods and erosion, due to the construction of dams.

Economic value for humans: negative

Although beavers have a beneficial effect on the environment, they can also destroy it. Dams slow down the flow of water, change the flora and fauna, which sometimes leads to a halving. Dams can cause flooding of lowlands, sometimes causing loss of extensive forest territories.

Secure status

Today, the population of the Canadian beauty causes the smallest concerns. In the past, they were subjected to significant threats and almost disappeared from many initial habitats. However, in the 20th century, Canadian beavers were successfully introduced into many former habitats.

Video

Beavers are a genus of mammalian rodent detachment, which includes two types: ordinary beaver (Castor Fiber), a resident of the Atlantic coast to Baikalia and Mongolia, and Canadian Beaver (Castor Canadensis) occurs in North America.

The body weight of the beaver is about 30 kg, the body length reaches 1-1.5 m, the females are usually a bit larger than the males. Rodent has a stupid face, the ears are small, the paws are short, strong with powerful claws. Beaver wool consists of two layers: on top There are hard-sighted red-brown hair, and under them there is a thick gray undercoat, which protects beaver from supercooling. Tail naked, black, bleached and wide, covered with scales. Near the founding of the tail are two glands that produce a spider substance, known as the "beaver jet".

Bobras - herbivorous rodents. Their diet includes the bark and shoots of trees, (aspen, Iva, poplar, birch), a variety of herbaceous plants (water lily, cube, iris, rogoz, reed). Also can eat with a ledge, lime, elm, cherryha. Will eagerly eat zhöldy. Large teeth and strong bite help the bots to eat enough solid vegetable feed, and the microflora of their intestinal tract is well digested with cellulose food.

The daily required amount of food reaches 20% of the weight of the beaver.

In the summer, herbaceous feed is dominated in the diet of Bobrov, the fall of rodents are actively harvested with wood food for the winter. Each family spares 60-70 m3 wood. The beavers are left in water in water, where they retain the nutritional qualities until the end of winter.

Until the twentieth century, Bobras were widespread very widely, but due to their mass extermination, their habitat has recently decreased significantly. Ordinary beaver is found in Europe, Russia, China and Mongolia. His close relative Canadian Beaver lives in North America.

Common types of Bobrov

The body length is 1-1.3 m, the height is about 35.5 cm, the weight is in the range of 30-32 kg. The torso is squat, the paws are shortened with five fingers, the rear is stronger than the front. Between the fingers there are swimming membranes. Claws are strong, flat. The tail of the paddy shape, flat, in length reaches 30 cm, in a width of 10-13 cm. The tail is omitted only at the base, the remaining surface is covered with horny shields. The eyes are small, the ears wide, short, slightly protrude over the hair. Under water, ear holes and nostrils are closed, there are special blinkers in front of the eyes. Ordinary beaquet is characterized by a beautiful fur, made of coarse oave hair and thick silky undercoat. The color of wool from light-chestnut to dark-brown, sometimes black. Tail and paws of black color. Link occurs once a year.

In the anal area there are paired glands, wen and the so-called "beaver jet", the smell of which is a reference point for other beavers, as it reports about the border of the family.

Ordinary Beaver is common in Europe (Scandinavian countries, France, Germany, Poland, Belarus, Ukraine), in Russia, Mongolia and China.

Body length 90-117 cm; Weight of about 32 kg. The torso is rounded, the chest is wide, the head is short with large dark ears and convex eyes. Wool color reddish or blacknate brown. The length of the tail is 20-25 cm, the width is 13-15 cm, the form oval, the end is pointed, the surface is covered with black horny shields.

The species is common in North America, in Alaska, in Canada, USA, Mexico. It was introduced to the Scandinavian countries and Russia.

The sexual dimorphism of beavers is poorly expressed, females in size slightly more males.

Bobras live usually along the shores of forest rivers, streams and lakes. They do not live on wide and fast rivers, as well as reservoirs that are freezing to the bottom in the winter. Wood-shrub vegetation on the shores of water bodies, and the abundance of water and coastal herbal vegetation are important for these rodents. In suitable places, they build dams from the fallen trees, the channels are building, and they will glue a brica to the dam.

Bobrov has two types of housing: Nora and Hutka. Huts look like floating islands from a mixture of twig and tins, their height is 1-3 meters, diameter up to 10 m, the input is located under water. In such hartes, beavers spend the night, they make food reserves for the winter, hiding from predators.

Bobra holes are pulled out on steep and clutched shores, these are complex labyrinths with 4-5 inputs. Walls and ceiling are aligned and tamped. Inside at a depth of 1 m, a residential chamber is up to 1 width and a height of 40-50 cm. The floor is located 20 cm above the water level.

Bobras are perfectly floating and dive, under water there may be 10-15 minutes, and sailing up to 750 m during this time.

Live beavers both one and families of 5-8 individuals. The same family occupies its plot over the years. From the water beavers do not go 200 m. The boundaries of the territory of the rodent sweep the beaver jet.

The main periods of Bobrov activity - night and twilight.

Bobras are monogamous rodents. The removal of the offspring occurs once a year. The marriage season begins in mid-January and lasts until the end of February. Pregnancy lasts 105-107 days. In one brood 1-6 of the cub, which are born in April-May. The kids appear on the light of half-sized, well-invented, their mass is about 0.45 kg. A few days later they can already swim. Swimming them teach the female, pushing out of the rich in the underwater corridor. In 3-4 weeks of Bobryat, they begin to eat with leaves and herbs stems, until 3 months, the mother fits them with milk. The young man lives with his parents to two years, after which he reaches puberty and begins an independent life.

In captivity, the life expectancy of Bobrov to 35 years, in nature is 10-17 years old.

Natural enemies

The natural enemies of the river beauty are wolves, brown bears and foxes, but the biggest damage of the population of this species brings a person, exterminating beavers due to their valuable fur and meat.

• Ordinary beaver is the largest rodent in Europe and the second in size in the world after.
• The word "beaver" originated from the Indo-European language and is an incomplete doubling of the name of brown.
• Until the middle of the 20th century, the beaver fur was very popular in America, Europe and Russia, which is why the population of these animals was noticeably reduced: 6-8 isolated populations from 1,200 individuals remained. To preserve the view of the hunting of beavers was forbidden. Now ordinary beaver has the minimum risk status, and the main threat for it is landlining events, water pollution and hydroelectric power plants.
• In addition to beautiful and durable fur, beavers are a source of beaver jet, which is used in perfumery and medicine. Beaver meat is also edible, but may contain the pathogens of Salmonellia. The church canons are considered to be lean.
• In 2006, a beaver sculpture was opened in Bobruisk (Belarus). Also, the sculptures of this rodent are in the Alpine Zoo (Innsbruck, Austria).