10 things about ... beavers

You can also see: 10 things about...ice cream, easter eggs, pigs, turkeys, beavers, nettles, marshmallows, pumpkins.

At least 10 things you might not know (and maybe one or two made-up “facts”)

1. Beavers are vegetarians. Their diet consists of plants and trees and they don ’t eat fish!

2. They belong to the rodent family. Their two front teeth never stop growing and are only kept short by constant gnawing and chewing.
   
   
3. Despite being brought close to extinction in North America by hunters during the 18th and 19th centuries, the beaver now enjoys a “protected” status and even became the official emblem of Canada in March 1975.
   
   
4. Beavers are second only to humans in their ability to manipulate and change their environment.
   
   
5. The largest beaver dam ever was spotted in Northern Alberta, Canada by a satellite from space. It was approximately 850 metres long (about the length of eight football pitches!)
   
   
6. Beavers have webbed hind-feet and a wide, hairless, scaly tail that can grow up to 40 centimetres long. They can use their tails to balance and sit on when cutting trees, steer themselves when diving and swimming, and for slapping the water to warn others when they are alarmed.
   
   
7. Although occasionally seen during the day beavers are nocturnal. They have poor eyesight but good senses of hearing, smell, touch and humour.
   
   
8. A baby beaver is called a kit and there are usually 3-5 kits in a litter. Mating beavers stay together for life and a family group is usually composed of the parents, last year’s litter (or should that be kitter?), who usually leave home after 2 years, and the new born.
   
   
9. A beaver’s home is called a lodge and is usually made from tree branches and mud.
   
   
10. Beavers can stay underwater for up to 15 minutes, swim at an average speed of 8 kph, have transparent eyelids (like goggles) to help them see whilst they’re swimming and are adept at support sculls, eggbeater kicks and platform lifts.
    
    
11. Beavers have a special flap behind their teeth which allows them to chew whilst underwater.

Did you spot the 'untruths'? Let us know which fact you think is false.

Think you can come up with something better?! Get creative and make up one of your own to replace it.

We'll give everyone who enters a "Love Us, Not Eat Us" animal window sticker and put the best online. Write to education@vegsoc.org (don't forget to include your name and address if you would like a window sticker!)

You can also see: 10 things about...ice cream, easter eggs, pigs, turkeys, beavers, nettles, marshmallows, pumpkins.