Beavers are North America’s largest rodent. One of their notable features, besides their long flat tail, is their large chisel-like incisors which are each about a quarter inch wide. The beaver has a extensive list of foods that it eats, and one of its favorites is the cottonwood tree shown here. Out at the arboretum, I can usually find these small branches cut off at an angle, and I often see branches that it has stripped lying around the bank of the river. Beavers eat the inner layer of bark (cambium), buds, leaves and twigs. Beavers are a keystone species and through their dam construction, they create a diverse ecosystem. I highly recommend reading more about these remarkable creatures.