The real "master architect" in nature: the strong never complain about the environment!

At the bottom of the spiral channel, there will be a straight extension tunnel at a 30-degree angle upward, and different spaces will be separated in the extended tunnel.

Imagine if you were lost in the forest and suddenly met a beaver, you might mistakenly think you had met a "super big rat", but in fact, it was a beaver, a real "water engineer" in nature.

Beavers, one of the largest living rodents, have attracted people's attention with their sturdy body and unique appearance. Adult beavers weigh about 17-30 kg and can reach a body length of 60-100 cm. Their tails are particularly eye-catching, 21-38 cm long, flat and covered with keratin scales. This unique tail is not only beautiful, but also serves as a rudder and acceleration tool when swimming.

Beavers usually have dark brown or black fur, with darker colors on the back and lighter colors on the belly. This color distribution helps them camouflage in their natural environment. Beavers have scent glands located on their abdomens that can secrete a substance called "castorean scent", which has a unique aroma and has been used in the making of perfumes and medicines throughout history.

Beavers are nocturnal animals. They are active at night and rest in their own nests during the day. Their diet is mainly bark and twigs, and occasionally they eat some aquatic plants and fruits. Beavers have very sharp teeth and can easily gnaw through trees. They can even gnaw down trees with a diameter of 20 cm. Their semi-aquatic lifestyle allows them to move freely between water and land. They are both "woodcutters" on land and "architects" in water.

The ancestor of beavers, the ancient beaver, lived in North America from the end of the Oligocene to the early Miocene, 25 to 20 million years ago. In terms of appearance, the ancient beaver is obviously different from the beaver. Not only is it smaller, but it also does not have a large flat tail for swimming. The ancient beaver is not similar to the beaver, but it is somewhat similar to the marmot and the gopher. This is to adapt to life on land. The ancient beaver is a representative of the Beaver family's march into the inland environment.

Despite the differences in size between prehistoric beavers and modern beavers, they have striking similarities in their habits. They both have excellent building skills, like to live near water, and feed on plants. These similarities give us a deeper understanding of the evolution of organisms, and also make us realize the importance of protecting existing biodiversity.

Beavers are true "water architects" who use materials such as branches, soil, and stones to build dams that not only control the flow of water but also provide them with a safe habitat. Beavers carefully select materials when building dams to ensure the stability of the structure. They even adjust the design of the dam according to the strength and direction of the water flow to adapt to the ever-changing environment.

Beavers' activities have a profound impact on river ecosystems. The dams they build slow down the flow of water and help deposit sediment, thereby increasing the nutrients in the river. These nutrients provide a rich source of food for other organisms and promote the growth of biodiversity. In addition, beaver nests provide habitats for many small animals, and the presence of these nests in the water also helps prevent river bank erosion and protect the natural form of the river.

Although beavers are such remarkable creatures, they still face many challenges to their survival. Habitat loss is one of the biggest threats. With the increase of human activities, the natural habitat of beavers is destroyed, which directly affects their survival and reproduction. In addition, beavers are sometimes harmed by mistakenly falling into human fishing traps. These human disturbances pose a serious threat to the survival of beavers.

In order to protect beavers, many countries and regions have implemented a series of protection measures. The Mengxin beaver is a subspecies of beaver unique to China. Due to habitat destruction and overhunting, its population has been sharply reduced. It has now been listed as a national first-class protected wild animal. In addition, some environmental protection organizations are also actively restoring beaver habitats, creating a better living environment for beavers by planting native plants and cleaning up river garbage. Each of us can also contribute to protecting beavers by reducing damage to the natural environment and supporting environmental protection organizations.

Beavers, with their unique architectural talents and positive impact on the ecosystem, have become an indispensable part of nature. They are not only "water engineers", but also guardians of ecological balance. By understanding beavers, we can not only appreciate the wonders of nature, but also realize the importance of protecting biodiversity.

References:

[1] Du Congcong. Characteristics of beaver nests and nest site habitat selection in Mengxin beaver in the Wulungu River Basin of Xijiang River[J]. Acta Ecologica Sinica.

[2] Yan Shizhou. Beavers: Architects in the Forest[J]. Interesting Nature.

[3] Qiao Wenhui. Give beavers a warm home[J]. Economic Daily.

[4] Jiang Hong. The Devil’s Spiral: The Home of Prehistoric Beavers[J]. Exploration and Discovery.