Illustration by Gerald Rapp & Cullen Inc./Laszlo Kubinyi
Castor canadensis missouriensis
Subspecies of American Beaver
July 3, 1804, Iatan, Platte County, Missouri; most abundantly mentioned in Three Forks, Montana.
A very large, bulky rodent, with rounded head and small, rounded ears. Dark brown fur is fine and soft. Scaly tail large, black, horizontally flattened, and paddle-shaped. Length: 3–4 ft (0.9–1.2 m); tail: 11.8–17.5 in (30–44 cm). Weight: usually 44–60 lb (20–27 kg), but sometimes up to 86 lb (39 kg).
Rivers, streams, marshes, lakes, and ponds.
Most of Canada and U.S., except for most of Florida, much of Nevada, and southern California.
Well adapted to its highly aquatic life, the beaver swims, using its webbed hind feet, at speeds up to 6 mph (10 km/h).