Beavers are real landscape architects: They build castles and dams, dam streams and cut down trees. The body of the largest rodent in Germany is perfectly adapted to the water environment, although it only spends a few hours there every day. Its shape is streamlined to reduce energy consumption in the water. The compact body has a very good ratio of body surface to body volume, which means that less heat is lost. The beaver often looks clumsy and clumsy on land, but its fast sprints and climbing skills, such as climbing steep banks, are underestimated. Beavers cut trees to get food and build dams and castles. As vegetarians, they eat the tasty young twigs and buds high up from the treetops and, in winter, the bark. They prefer soft woods like willow and poplar. These fast-growing pioneer species sprout again after a short time and animal and plant species that love light and warmth can settle in the open areas due to the "clear cutting". The animals build their beaver castle from the larger branches. To protect against enemies, the entrance is always under water. When the water level is insufficient or fluctuates too much, the beaver builds dams to raise the level and keep it constant. This increases the surface of the water and reduces the flow rate. With these "beaver ponds", the beaver creates an important habitat for many plants, fish, amphibians, insects and birds. In addition, the banks are being fortified, the silting up of rivers is prevented and floods are mitigated. Trees and trunks left by the beaver increase the deadwood habitat in the area. Source: German Wildlife Foundation
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