Beavers: Eco-Friendly Animals
Today,/I’m going to talk about beavers. Beavers mainly live around rivers/in North America and Europe. They have unique features/such as sharp teeth,/waterproof fur,/and a long flat tail. They can stay under water/for about 15 to 30 minutes.
Beavers are called “architects of the woods.” They cut down trees/and build dams in rivers. In the dams,/they build their homes. The dams and homes protect them/from enemies,/including wolves and coyotes.
Beavers are familiar animals/among English speakers. For example,/when people are busy,/they often say,/“I’m as busy as a beaver.”
In the past,/beavers experienced ups and downs/as a species. Until the beginning of the 19th century,/there were millions of beavers. People hunted many beavers/because they used beavers’ fur/for hats and coats. They also used a substance/from beavers/for medicine and perfume. By the end of the century,/the number of beavers decreased dramatically.
In the early 20th century,/beavers were almost extinct. People thought,/“Beavers should be protected.” People stopped hunting beavers/and used other materials/for clothes and goods. For example,/silk was used for hats/instead of beavers’ fur. As time went by,/the number of beavers increased.
Beavers are also called “ecosystem engineers.” This is because their dams have a positive impact/on plants, animals, and humans.
First,/beaver dams promote biodiversity. Once the dams are created,/the number of plants and fish/increases in the area. Then,/birds and other animals/also gather around the dam. Second,/the dams prevent large floods. When beavers build dams,/they create walls across rivers. The flow of the water/becomes slower than before. So,/the dams are like natural barriers/in the water.
In this way,/beavers contribute to ecosystems/a lot. They may be small animals,/but they make a big difference/in nature.
Today,/I’m going to talk about beavers. Beavers mainly live around rivers/in North America and Europe. They have unique features/such as sharp teeth,/waterproof fur,/and a long flat tail. They can stay under water/for about 15 to 30 minutes.
Beavers are called “architects of the woods.” They cut down trees/and build dams in rivers. In the dams,/they build their homes. The dams and homes protect them/from enemies,/including wolves and coyotes.
Beavers are familiar animals/among English speakers. For example,/when people are busy,/they often say,/“I’m as busy as a beaver.”
In the past,/beavers experienced ups and downs/as a species. Until the beginning of the 19th century,/there were millions of beavers. People hunted many beavers/because they used beavers’ fur/for hats and coats. They also used a substance/from beavers/for medicine and perfume. By the end of the century,/the number of beavers decreased dramatically.
In the early 20th century,/beavers were almost extinct. People thought,/“Beavers should be protected.” People stopped hunting beavers/and used other materials/for clothes and goods. For example,/silk was used for hats/instead of beavers’ fur. As time went by,/the number of beavers increased.
Beavers are also called “ecosystem engineers.” This is because their dams have a positive impact/on plants, animals, and humans.
First,/beaver dams promote biodiversity. Once the dams are created,/the number of plants and fish/increases in the area. Then,/birds and other animals/also gather around the dam. Second,/the dams prevent large floods. When beavers build dams,/they create walls across rivers. The flow of the water/becomes slower than before. So,/the dams are like natural barriers/in the water.
In this way,/beavers contribute to ecosystems/a lot. They may be small animals,/but they make a big difference/in nature.