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Castor canadensis Kuhl, 1820
American Beaver
Florida native
American beaver can be found in most of the continental United States and all but the most northern areas of central Canada. The range only extends into north Florida and down the peninsula about as far as the mouth of the Suwannee River.
Florida's largest rodent, weighing from 30 to 50 pounds, has webbed rear feet and a flat tail. The tail is used in swimming as a rudder or for propulsion, and is slapped on the water as a warning for the colony.
Beavers will cut down tress up to about a foot in diameter, eating the inner bark, twigs and buds and using the rest for construction of dams and lodges. They also sometimes live in dens burrowed into the banks of the beaver ponds and rivers. Both lodges and undergound dens will have underwater entrances.
Castor canadensis is a member of the Castoridae - Beavers family.
iNaturalist profile for this species
Date record last modified: Mar 14, 2023
