What Kind of Habitat Do Beavers Live In?

The North American beaver is relatively abundant on the North American continent. Florida's peninsular region, Mexico, the Southwestern deserts and northernmost Canada do not have beavers. As a result of introduction, North American beavers also live in Asian Russia, Finland and Argentina.

These elusive, herbivorous and web-footed animals generally live right next to smaller lakes, marshes, ponds, streams and rivers. Some live in ditch environments. If a place has plentiful water throughout the year, a beaver can usually live there very successfully. Within their habitats, North American beavers also famously construct dams, which establish ponds and alter streams' directions. Dams give beavers some control over their locations. Apart from their dams, beavers often build lodges out of mud, segments of plants, rocks and sticks. These lodges provide above-water living quarters, but their entrances are underwater. Some beavers also set up simple burrows by lakes and rivers.

The Eurasian beaver is a close relative of the North American beaver. These predominantly nocturnal rodents are found in central Asia, parts of Nordic Europe, and Western, central and Eastern Europe. These habitats include Russia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Luxembourg, Denmark, Norway, France, Finland, Poland and Germany.

Eurasian beavers often live in freshwater rivers or lakes close to ample trees. They also often live in swamps and marshes. Reliable and consistent nearby sources of water are an absolute must for Eurasian beavers. These beavers typically gravitate toward water that's calm and relatively slow-flowing. They occasionally take up residence in cities, suburbs or farms. The lodges that Eurasian beavers make are generally a little smaller than those of North American beavers.