A big fat rodent

This is the North American beaver. It is the biggest native rodent on the continent. Rats, mice, squirrels and muskrats are its cousins. Like these other rodents, beavers are vegetarians. That means they eat plants.

The North American beaver can grow to over 50 pounds. His tail is unusual. It is about 12 inches long, flat and has hard scales on it. This animal has been important in American history as a fur-bearing animal.

Beavers live most of their lives in water, seldom traveling more than 30 yards from the safety of water. When a beaver senses danger, it often makes a loud noise by slapping its tail on top of the water.