Beavers (Castor canadensis) are medium-sized (size of a small dog) rodents of ponds and marshes. The head and body are unmarked, making their broad, flat, scaly tail their most distinguishing feature. Beaver are seldom seen, but their handiwork -- beaver dams and cut trees -- reveals their presence.

Around Las Vegas, look for beaver in the Las Vegas Wash or up in Zion National Park.

Order Rodentia: Rodents; Family Castoridae: Beaver.

Beavers eat vegetation, especially the bark of young trees. They also eat shrubs and buds during spring.

Natural habitat for beavers is wet places such as slow-moving streams and swamps, uncommon habitat around Las Vegas, but look for Beavers along the Lower Las Vegas Wash in places like the Clark County Wetlands Preserve and in Zion National Park.

With habitat improvements in the lower Las Vegas Wash, beaver have reclaimed some of their natural habitat.