American Beaver
Justin moved to The Zoo from the Pittsburgh Zoo in March of 2020. At 3 months old, Cedar was found as an oprhaned kit after humans had killed her family and destroyed their lodge. She was rescued by a rehabilitation center in South Carolina, but it was quickly determined that she could not be safely released into the wild as she had never lived on her own. Justin and Cedar get along swimmingly! (Get it?)
Scientific name
Castor canadensis
Lifespan
10-15 years in the wild, 20-25 years under human care
Range
American beavers are semiaquatic and native to forests throughout North America with access to bodies of water.
Diet
Beavers are entirely herbivorous with a diet of twigs, branches, buds, and aquatic plants.
Social Structure
Beavers exhibit a variety of vocalizations and will slap their tails against the water when alarmed. Baby beavers, called kits, will typically stay with their family utnil they are full grown, at about 2 years old.
Conservation Status
Threats in the Wild
There are no major threats to American beavers. They are hunted for pelts in certain parts of the world, especially in areas where their dam building is deemed undesirable by humans.
share this page
