Where They Live and Why
Where They Live and Why
Habitat Requirements
This chapter discusses a beaver's habitat requirements. In an otherwise arid environment, beavers can thrive if watercourses provide riparian vegetation. Ths is the case in Arizona where cattails, willows, and other plants form lush vegetation in a narrow strip along streams. The water hardly freezes in winter, and along many streams there is no conflict between beavers and humans. If given a choice, beavers prefer less steep terrain and diverse vegetation. Water is very important to beavers. Without water, the best food supply will not attract them. Beavers need a reliable food supply but are quite flexible in this regard. This chapter considers how beavers choose a temporary habitat and how they cope with flooding. It also looks at the beavers' tendency to recolonize former beaver habitat that is now occupied or used by humans, such as suburbs, golf courses, and shopping centers.
Keywords: beaver, habitat, riparian vegetation, water, food supply, flooding
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