Beavers have thick brown fur and a distinctive flattened,
paddle-like tail that can be 9-10 inches long and 6 inches wide.
(Ryan Somma/Flickr) The beaver is a large, brown, semi-aquatic
mammal with a distinctive flattened, paddle-like tail. It lives
in lakes, streams and forested wetlands throughout the
Chesapeake Bay watershed. Thick, glossy brown fur Large, scaly,
flattened, paddle-like tail that can be 9-10 inches long and 6
inches wide Large, chestnut brown front teeth Rounded head and
small, rounded ears Head and body grow to 25-30 inches long
Usually weighs 30-60 pounds Lives in forested wetlands and tree-
lined streams, rivers, ponds and lakes Semi-aquatic, meaning it
spends time both on land and in the water Builds lodges of
sticks and mud on islands, river banks and shorelines. Within
their lodges, beavers live in colonies that include an adult
male and female and their young. Some beavers live in burrows
within river banks To protect their lodges, beavers build dams
across streams to flood the area a