Large semiaquatic rodents that are native to the the Northern Hemisphere. Two species of beaver exist, the North American beaver and Eurasian beaver. Beavers are the second-largest rodents in the world after capybaras. Beavers have stout bodies with large heads, long chisel-like incisors, brown or gray fur, hand-like front feet, webbed back feet, and tails that are flat and scaly.
Beavers are consider a keystone species, as they can greatly influence an ecosystem through their construction of dams and lodges from tree branches, vegetation, rocks and mud. These dams restrict water flow and create wetlands for which other animals and plants may depend on.
