Beavers Are Genius | National Geographic

we’re here in the wilderness of the

we’re here in the wilderness of the Rocky Mountains observing nature’s

Rocky Mountains observing nature’s

Rocky Mountains observing nature’s impressive architects and engineers

impressive architects and engineers

impressive architects and engineers beavers

by creating this pie they’re preventing

by creating this pie they’re preventing soil from being washed away and they’re

soil from being washed away and they’re

soil from being washed away and they’re creating a place where new plants and

creating a place where new plants and

creating a place where new plants and insects can flourish Lieber’s think

insects can flourish Lieber’s think

insects can flourish Lieber’s think ahead and secure their food supply long

ahead and secure their food supply long

ahead and secure their food supply long before they’ll need it

before they’ll need it

before they’ll need it they drag these branches into the water

they drag these branches into the water

they drag these branches into the water where they’ll stay fresh and accessible

where they’ll stay fresh and accessible

where they’ll stay fresh and accessible during the winter freeze flash forward

during the winter freeze flash forward

during the winter freeze flash forward to the winter freeze when the frigid

to the winter freeze when the frigid

to the winter freeze when the frigid temperature has turned the mud and

temperature has turned the mud and

temperature has turned the mud and sticks into a secure shelter for the

sticks into a secure shelter for the

sticks into a secure shelter for the Beavers each dwelling houses a single

Beavers each dwelling houses a single

Beavers each dwelling houses a single beaver family yep with a mom and dad and

beaver family yep with a mom and dad and

beaver family yep with a mom and dad and did I mention beavers mate for life and

did I mention beavers mate for life and

did I mention beavers mate for life and each home has an elegantly designed

each home has an elegantly designed

each home has an elegantly designed passageway to the lake beavers are North

passageway to the lake beavers are North

passageway to the lake beavers are North America’s largest rodent and they’re the

America’s largest rodent and they’re the

America’s largest rodent and they’re the only ones with skin flaps behind their

only ones with skin flaps behind their

only ones with skin flaps behind their teeth that allow them to haul branches

teeth that allow them to haul branches

teeth that allow them to haul branches without swallowing water notice how

without swallowing water notice how

without swallowing water notice how neatly the beaver eats stripping the

neatly the beaver eats stripping the

neatly the beaver eats stripping the bark by turning the branch like an ear

bark by turning the branch like an ear

bark by turning the branch like an ear of corn they’re strict but voracious

of corn they’re strict but voracious

of corn they’re strict but voracious vegetarians and can even de Geste the

vegetarians and can even de Geste the

vegetarians and can even de Geste the cellulose that most mammals just can’t

cellulose that most mammals just can’t

cellulose that most mammals just can’t handle

flash-forward again to the following

flash-forward again to the following spring and spring has sprung a leak in

spring and spring has sprung a leak in

spring and spring has sprung a leak in the dam so dad stays with the young ones

the dam so dad stays with the young ones

the dam so dad stays with the young ones while mom and her eldest son fix it up

while mom and her eldest son fix it up

while mom and her eldest son fix it up this is lucky for all the other animals

this is lucky for all the other animals

this is lucky for all the other animals around because virtually the entire

around because virtually the entire

around because virtually the entire ecosystem is dependent on the dam and

ecosystem is dependent on the dam and

ecosystem is dependent on the dam and the resulting pond wouldn’t it be great

the resulting pond wouldn’t it be great

the resulting pond wouldn’t it be great if we could all be as industrious and

if we could all be as industrious and

if we could all be as industrious and efficient as the eager beavers

efficient as the eager beavers

efficient as the eager beavers [Music]