Wet Doorway, Dry Room
Explore how beavers build pond lodges with underwater entrances and dry rooms for family life, even during cold winters.
Play the quiz as a gameBeavers swim in ponds, but they need a dry place to rest. Many build a lodge, a home made from branches and mud. A lodge is different from a dam. A dam holds back water, while a lodge shelters a beaver family.
To build a pond lodge, beavers cut branches with their strong front teeth. They pile the branches in shallow water and add mud to fill gaps. Inside the pile, they make a hollow space for a room. The thick walls help keep out cold air.
The entrance to a pond lodge is underwater. A beaver dives down to reach it. Then it swims through a tunnel that slopes up to the room. The room is above the water's surface. Beavers swim into their home, but they do not have to sleep in water.
A cutaway drawing shows what is inside the lodge. Its caption reads, "A dry room for the family." Here, beavers rest, clean their fur, and care for their babies. They may bring in wood chips and grass to make a softer floor.
In places with cold winters, beavers may store branches underwater near the lodge. When ice covers the pond, they can swim out beneath it to reach this food. Then they return to their dry room. The lodge remains a useful home through the winter.