VIDEO: Why does the beaver’s coat not get wet in water?

Submitted by Looduskalender EN on Fri, 15.02.2019 - 12:11
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Video recorded by  Ahto Täpsi
English translation Liis

 

Small spring-fed streams flow in the hilly landscape where the beaver family is active and has its winter life

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Beaver         Kobras ehk piiber         Castor fiber

 

There is soon cause to discuss the life of beavers – at the end of February their heat period starts.

When a beaver dives, a line of small air bubbles remains along its path. The fur of the animal is not wetted but for this it has to take care. Its fur consists of an extremely dense undercoat through which water cannot penetrate and rougher and longer upper hairs.

The air layer in the undercoat protects the beaver against wetting as well as cooling off.

The hind legs of beavers are well adapted to caring for the coat: the split claw on the second toe is used as a ”fur comb”. To keep the fur cover more water resistant it is cared for during the combing by smearing with a secretion, ”castoreum”.

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