!

!

!

!"#$#%&'(%'$)'*+,-.'(-$/$0102$)3,%4'5-',$67'(8'$/$)3,%4'5-',9$:6$;101<$"43('$=20>?$2@<AB><;$/$C+D$=20>?$2@<AEB;0$

F$1;0@$!"#$#%&'(%'$)'*+,-.'(-$$

!

"#$%&!'&()*+,!(+)!-&./!0&1&+)&+/!23&%/*$+%!*+!45*&+5&!

67(/!8(9&%!:&(;&<%!41&5*(#!=>+*?(#!4/3)*&%!@!A<()&!BC!

!

!

!G4'$-'D-$5'H'%-&3(9$!"#$%&#'()%*(#+(,)%-.(/0#12$&5$I38(J$&($$"(%-34$5607#1%-$890()$G'+%4',K5$L8&J'M$

$$!

!!

!

!N33O$&($-4'$#-8J'(-$N'+,(&(P$Q8-%3.'$)3%8.'(-$I3,$P8&J+(%'$3($R4'($-4&5$5438HJ$S'$-+8P4-M$4--*TUUS*5%8,,&%8H8.+(J&(5-,8%-&3(MR''SHVM%3.U5-8J'(-AH'+,(&(PA38-%3.'5ASVAP,+J'M4-.H$

!

!

!

!

!

\-/

\-/

Look! Over there! Water is backed up behinda dam of sticks and mud. Pointed treestumps stand along the water's edge. Amound of sticks floats in the middle of apond. What do tlrese signs tell us? This couldbe a beaver family's habitat.

Remember, a habitat is a place where ananimal or a plant lives. Every animal hasdifferent needs for living. Most animals mustfind a habitat that meets these needs. But thebeaver is different. The beaver is a lot like lls.It finds a habitat and then changes it to suitits needs.

On Land and WaterBeavers live on land and in water. On land,beavers are clumsy. Their front legs are short.They cannot walk very f,ast. They cannot easilyescape their enemies on land. But beavers areexcellent swimmers and divers. In the water,they move quickly and gracefully.

Wolves and bears are the beaver'spredators-they hunt and eat beavers. Tokeep its family safe, a beaver builds its homein the water. That home is called a lodge.The only way to get into the lodge is througha.n underwater tunnel.

Reading Selection

$rhat Makes Beavers Special?

\-/

STC@ / Antmal Studies There's No Place Like Home / 16l

Why Build a Dam?But what if the river or stream is too shallowto build a lodge? Rather than search for adifferent site, the beaver will build a dam. Adam holds back the water. To build the dam,beavers use their short front feet. They pushmud, branches, and stones to create a ridgein the water. Then they use their sharp teethto cut down trees.

Beavers cut down most of the trees ne€rr thewater. Then they go into the woods for moretrees. It is easier for beavers to move thehearryr wood by floating it in water than bydragging it on land, so they dig canals in theground. Water runs along the canals, whichconnect the wooded area to the pond. Thebeavers use the canals to float the logs downto the pond or river.

The beavers push the freshly cut sticks andlogs into the muddy ridge they have created.Now the dam is complete. Water cannot flowabove or around the dam. Soon the water inthe stream forms a deep pond. And thebeaver can build its lodge.

\-/

StepInside...Flom the outsid.e, a beaver's lodge looks like \-/a pile of sticks in the water. But inside, thebeavers are dry and cozy. Inside their home,they build ledges above the water. Thebeavers sleep on the ledges, which are madeout of sticks, wood chips, and grass.

Before winter comes, the beavers witl addlayers of sticks and mud to the lodge roof.The mud will harden and keep the lodgewarm even in the coldest weather.

The beavers also collect extra sticks andleaves. These make a good food pile. Beaverskeep the food pile in tlre water. They put itjust below the tunnel that leads into thelodge. When the pond freezes, the beaversleave the lodge and swim to the bottom of thetunnel. They can eat from the food pilewithout leaving the water.

L6.2 / There's No Place Like Home STC' / Animal Studies

\-/

\-/

Keeping Warm and DryLike all marnmals, beavers are warm-blooded and have fur. The outside layer ofguard hairs are long and stiff. They protectthe underfur, which is short and soft. Theunderfur traps air to protect the beaveragainst the cold and to prevent water fromreaching the skin. A layer of fat under the furalso helps keep the beaver warm.

A beaver has glands on the bottom of itstail. The glands produce oil. The beaver putsthe oil on its fur using a special "split toenail,"located on the second toe of each back foot.The oil helps prevent the fur from absorbingwater that c€ut wet the beaver's skin.

Special Body PartsA beaver has other special body structuresthat help it swim and work. Its back, orhind, feet are webbed like a duck's. Theyhelp the beavermove throughthe water.

Thebeaver'swide, flat tailhelps it steer.

Beavers use theirtails to communicate. Abeaver sniffs the air and listens.A fox is coming near. Whap! A beaver smacksits wide tail on the water's surface. Do youknow why.Z Atl of the beavers in the area hearthe warning and swim to the lodge for safety.

Beavers use their tails on land, too. The tailsupports them like another leg. Beaversstand when they are cutting down trees. Thetail helps them balance.

Like rats and squirrels, beavers arerodents, or gnawing mammals. A beaver hasa hard orange coating on its two top andbottom front teeth. This coating keeps theteeth from chipping. There are two folds ofskin behind the front teeth. These folds keepwater out of the beaver's mouth while itgnaws on wood under water.

Have you ever used goggles in a pool? Abeaver has its own built-in goggles. Each eyehas a clear inner eyelid. This eyelid coversand protects the beaver's eye so it can seeunder water.

Beavers c€u:r stay under water for up to 15minutes! Their lungs can hold a greatamount of air. A beaver also slows down itsheart rate when it dives. That way, it usesless oxygen when under water. A valve in thebeaver's nose closes the nostrils while thebeaver swims.

Alt of these characteristics help the beaverlive in its habitat. Like humans, the beavercan change its environment more than mostother animals on earth.

\-/

STC@ / Animal Studies There's No Place Like Home / 1Og

!

!

!

!"#$#%&'(%'$)'*+,-.'(-$/$0102$)3,%4'5-',$67'(8'$/$)3,%4'5-',9$:6$;101<$"43('$=20>?$2@<AB><;$/$C+D$=20>?$2@<AEB;0$

F$1;0@$!"#$#%&'(%'$)'*+,-.'(-$$

!

67(/!8(9&%!:&(;&<%!41&5*(#!=>+*?(#!4/3)*&%!@!A<()&!BC!

4/3)&+/!23&%/*$+%!

!

!0M W4+-$&5$+$4+S&-+-X$

$

$

$

1M W4V$J3$S'+7',5$S8&HJ$-4'&,$43.'$&($-4'$.&JJH'$3I$R+-',X$

$

$

$

$

@M W4+-$&5$-4'$*8,*35'$3I$S8&HJ&(P$+$J+.X$

$

$

$

$

YM Z3R$J3'5$-4'$S'+7',$%4+(P'$&-5$4+S&-+-$-3$[58&-$4&5$(''J5\X$

$

$ $

!

!

!

!"#$#%&'(%'$)'*+,-.'(-$/$0102$)3,%4'5-',$67'(8'$/$)3,%4'5-',9$:6$;101<$"43('$=20>?$2@<AB><;$/$C+D$=20>?$2@<AEB;0$

F$1;0@$!"#$#%&'(%'$)'*+,-.'(-$$

<M G4'$S'+7',K5$-+&H$4+5$.8H-&*H'$I8(%-&3(5M$)'5%,&S'$3('$3I$-4'$I8(%-&3(5$+(J$R4V$&-$&5$&.*3,-+(-$-3$&-5$58,7&7+HM$

$

$

$

$

$

2M )'5%,&S'$-R3$3-4',$5-,8%-8,'5$+(J$I8(%-&3(5$-4+-$J'.3(5-,+-'$S'+7',5$+,'$R'HH$+J+*-'J$-3$-4'&,$'(7&,3(.'(-M$

$

$

$

$

$

>M !+5'J$3($-4'$,'+J&(P$5'H'%-&3(9$%3.*+,'$S'+7',5$R&-4$48.+(5M$]5'$'7&J'(%'$I,3.$-4'$-'D-M$

$

$$

$$$$$$$! !

!

!

!

!"#$#%&'(%'$)'*+,-.'(-$/$0102$)3,%4'5-',$67'(8'$/$)3,%4'5-',9$:6$;101<$"43('$=20>?$2@<AB><;$/$C+D$=20>?$2@<AEB;0$

F$1;0@$!"#$#%&'(%'$)'*+,-.'(-$$

67(/!8(9&%!:&(;&<%!41&5*(#!=>+*?(#!4/3)*&%!@!A<()&!BC!

4(?1#&!>+%D&<%!$

$EF 67(/!*%!(!7(G*/(/H!

5%"#:0$#$%0)%#%.1#/(%;"(,(%#6%#607#1%<,%#%.1#6$%10+()=%$$

IF 67J!)$!G&(;&<%!G3*#)!/7&*<!7$?&!*+!/7&!?*))#&!$K!D(/&<H!

3"(>%:8019%$"(0,%1<9?()%06%$"(%70991(%<@%$"(%;#$(,%:(/#8)(%$"(>%#,(%(A/(11(6$%);077(,)2%#69%$<%.,<$(/$%$"(7)(1+()%@,<7%$"(0,%.,(9#$<,)%B;<1+()%#69%:(#,)C=%%

$$

LF 67(/!*%!/7&!13<1$%&!$K!G3*#)*+,!(!)(?H!

D@%#%,0+(,%<,%)$,(#7%0)%$<<%)"#11<;%$<%:8019%#%1<9?(2%$"(%:(#+(,%;011%:8019%#%9#7%$<%"<19%:#/'%$"(%;#$(,%#69%7#'(%0$%9((.(,=%%

$$

BF M$D!)$&%!/7&!G&(;&<!57(+,&!*/%!7(G*/(/!/$!N%3*/!7*%!+&&)%OH!

3"(%:(#+(,%8)()%7892%:,#6/"()2%#69%)$<6()%$<%/,(#$(%#%,09?(%06%$"(%;#$(,=%3"(>%#99%/8$%$,(()%)<%$"#$%;#$(,%/#66<$%@1<;%#,<869%$"(%9#72%/,(#$06?%#%.<69=%%

$$

PF -7&!G&(;&<Q%!/(*#!7(%!?3#/*1#&!K3+5/*$+%F!0&%5<*G&!$+&!$K!/7&!K3+5/*$+%!(+)!D7J!*/!*%!*?1$</(+/!

/$!*/%!%3<;*;(#F!

3"(%:(#+(,%/#6%8)(%$"(0,%$#01%$<%)$((,%06%$"(%;#$(,=%E<,F%3"(%:(#+(,%;011%)7#/'%0$)%$#01%<6%$"(%)8,@#/(%$<%/<77860/#$(%$<%<$"(,%:(#+(,)%06%$"(%#,(#=%E<,F%3"(%:(#+(,%/#6%8)(%$"(0,%$#01%$<%)8..<,$%$"(7%10'(%#6<$"(,%1(?%$<%"(1.%$"(7%:#1#6/(=%$$

RF 0&%5<*G&!/D$!$/7&<!%/<35/3<&%!(+)!K3+5/*$+%!/7(/!)&?$+%/<(/&!G&(;&<%!(<&!D&##!()(1/&)!/$!

/7&*<!&+;*<$+?&+/F!

3"(%:(#+(,G)%;(::(9%"069%@(($%"(1.%$"(%:(#+(,%7<+(%$",<8?"%$"(%;#$(,=%3"(%869(,@8,%<@%#%:(#+(,%$,#.)%#0,%$<%"(1.%'((.%$"(%:(#+(,%;#,7%)<%$"#$%;#$(,%/#6G$%,(#/"%0$)%)'06=%*(#+(,)%"#+(%#%/1(#,%066(,%(>(109%$"#$%.,<$(/$)%$"(0,%(>()%)<%$"(>%/#6%)((%869(,%;#$(,=%

$$

SF :(%&)!$+!/7&!<&()*+,!%&#&5/*$+T!5$?1(<&!G&(;&<%!D*/7!73?(+%F!U%&!&;*)&+5&!K<$?!/7&!/&./F!

*<$"%"87#6)%#69%:(#+(,)%/"#6?(%$"(0,%(6+0,<67(6$)%7<,(%$"#6%<$"(,%#607#1)%$<%)80$%$"(0,%6((9)=%H<;(+(,2%:(#+(,)%#,(%;(11%#9#.$(9%$<%10+(%#69%7<+(%06%;#$(,%#69%"87#6)%#,(%:($$(,%#9#.$(9%$<%10+(%#69%7<+(%<6%1#69=%