![]() A beaver's sight is good only for short distances and at close range. The beaver's eyes have a thin, transparent membrane, called a nictitating membrane, which is pulled over the eyeball for underwater work. Whiskers help detect objects around a beaver's face and head, which is especially helpful in narrow passageways and dark water. Their oversized lungs allow them to stay submerged for up to 15 minutes while traveling over half a mile. In water, however, beavers can swim up to 6 mph (10 kilometers per hour). On land, a beaver's movements are extremely awkward, making them vulnerable to predators. These flexible toes also remove burrs and parasites. They use the preening toe as a comb to prevent their fine, soft fur from matting to maintain its waterproofing and insulating properties. The hind feet also have a preening toe, the second from the inside, with a unique double toenail. Their larger hind feet are webbed for swimming and void of fur, except on the dorsal surface. They walk on five digits, grasp sticks with their front paws and have well-developed digging claws. Their small, dexterous front feet are well adapted to working on land. These teeth are self-sharpening and can cleave a willow the size of a person's finger in a single bite! If the incisors become too long, they can prevent the beaver's mouth from closing enough for its grinding molars to meet, which could lead to starvation.īeavers regularly move between aquatic and terrestrial environments. The beaver's stocky body enables it to conserve heat.Ī beaver's long, dark-orange, visible incisors grow continuously throughout its life and are worn down through daily use. They have webbed rear feet and digitated front paws. Their large, orange incisors grow continuously throughout their lifetime. ![]() North American beavers have stocky bodies with a yellow-brown to almost black coat and a broad, flat, scaly tail. ![]()
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