International Beaver Day – 07th April
International Beaver Day – 07th April
International Beaver day is celebrated on April 7th of every year.
The beaver is a primarily nocturnal, semi-aquatic mammal, second largest rodent after capybaras. Beavers are considered as a key stone species.
Beaver, two species of amphibious rodents; native to North America is North American Beaver (Castor canadensis) andnative to Europe, and Asia is Eurasian Beaver (Castor fiber). Their bodies extend up to 80 cm long and generally weigh 16–30 kg; however, beavers continue to grow throughout their life, and the heaviest beavers can weigh more than 50 kg. Living in streams, rivers, marshes, and ponds and on the shorelines of large lakes, beavers construct dams of branches, stones, and mud, forming ponds that often cover many hectares. They create one or more barriers to provide still, deep water to protect against predators and to float food and building material. Through this they also provide essential services like water cleansing, moderating the flow of streams, and climate regulation.Ecologists often refer to beavers as “ecosystem engineers” because of their ability to alter the landscapes in which they live.
Beavers have short legs and a stout body with a small, broad, and blunt head. The distinctive tail is scaly, flat, and paddle-shaped and measures up to 45 cm long and 13 cm wide. Massive chisel-shaped incisor teeth have orange outer enamel because iron hasreplaced calcium, and this makes them stronger than most rodent incisors. Upon submergence, folds of skin (valves) close the nostrils and the stubby rounded ears, and the eyes are protected by a membrane that keeps water out (nictitating membrane). The fur-lined lips close behind the incisors, blocking water from the mouth and lungs and allowing the animal to cut, peel, and carry branches underwater. Small front feet with five clawed digits dexterously manipulate food. The hind feet are quite large, and the five digits are connected by webbing, which makes them useful as paddles for propulsion underwater. Adult male and females live in monogamous pairs with their offspring. Both sexes possess castor glands that exude a musky secretion (castoreum), which is deposited on mud or rocks to mark territorial boundaries. Anal glands secrete oil through skin pores to hair roots. Beaver like to eat the bark and twigs andselected water plants. The population decline was mainly due to hunting for fur, for glands which are used as medicine, clothing, top hats, and perfume. Native peoples and early settlers also ate this animal’s meat.
– Source: Internet –