Meet the beaver: part-time lumberjack, full-time architect and all-around ecological superstar. Known as nature"s engineers, beavers have been shaping the world for millions of years. Historically, North American beavers—seen in today"s image—faced challenges from humans. They were hunted for their fur, and their "nuisance" freshwater abodes were destroyed. However, these buck-toothed, paddle-tailed dam builders have been gaining new respect in recent years. Beavers are the second-largest rodents after capybaras. These animals have beneficial effects not only on water quality but also on land. With their iron-coated orange incisors, beavers fell trees, diligently constructing not just homes but habitats. Their dams create life-sustaining wetlands for countless species. The beavers" own lodges are masterpieces of security and comfort, with the entrance strategically submerged to deter predators and provide privacy.
North American beaver, Denali National Park, Alaska, USA
Today in History
More Desktop Wallpapers:
-
Toledo, Spain
-
Magellanic penguins, Volunteer Point, Falkland Islands
-
Rufous hummingbird
-
Apple trees in spring, Germany
-
Northern hawk-owl, Canada
-
St. Michaels Church Tower on Glastonbury Tor, Glastonbury, Somerset, England
-
Wadden Sea coast, Friesland, Netherlands
-
Mannheim Water Tower, Germany
-
St. James Tidal Pool, Cape Town, South Africa
-
Nighttime view over the Gulf Coast
-
Gangi, Sicily, Italy
-
Amber Fort, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
-
Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico, USA
-
Red deer, Canada
-
European hedgehog
-
A delta in the Venetian Lagoon, Italy
-
Birch trees, Drammen, Norway
-
Dunquin Pier, County Kerry, Ireland
-
Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park, Canada
-
Meerkat family
-
Seljalandsfoss waterfall, Iceland
-
Rapa Nui National Park, Easter Island, Chile
-
Colonnade in San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico
-
Ploumanach Lighthouse, France
-
Point Reyes National Seashore
-
Rolling hills of the Palouse, Washington, United States
-
Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden, Brazil
-
Teide National Park, Tenerife, Canary Islands
-
Odeon of Herodes Atticus, Acropolis of Athens, Greece
-
Vieste, Apulia, Italy
Bing Wallpaper Gallery

