International Beaver Day
About International Beaver Day
When is International Beaver Day? This holiday is always celebrated on April 7
Today is International Beaver Day, an April 7 holiday. It’s a day to learn about and show appreciation for those cute and loveable dam builders. In addition to being cute and loveable, they play a very important role in the environmental ecosystem. They build dams. As beavers create a new dam, they are helping to create or restore natural wetlands.
You can find beavers in ponds and small streams in many parts of the United States. They are also found in many other countries in North and South America. They are also native to Europe. It’s fascinating to watch beavers at work. They ceaselessly build dams, dragging fallen branches and trunks of trees from the shore to the dam-building site. They often cut down small trees, using their sharp front teeth to cut the trees down. Their work never ends. They are either busy adding wood to an existing dam or building a new one.
The most enjoyable thing to do on International Beaver Day is to hike to an active beaver pond and watch them busy at work building a dam. Look around and you will likely see the wetlands that they create, filled with a wide variety of vegetation, birds, and other wildlife.
Beaver Trivia
- Their large front teeth contain iron making them strong to so they can gnaw trees. As a result, they are orange.
- Beavers cannot breathe underwater. They can hold their breath for up to 15 minutes.
- They are classified as aquatic rodents.
- They have webbed feet making them good swimmers.
- There are two species, the North American Beaver and the Eurasian beaver.
- An adult weighs 40 to 60 pounds.
- They slap the water with their tails to warn others of the presence of predators.
- The world’s largest beaver dam is located in Wood Buffalo National Park in Alberta, Canada. It is 2,542 feet long with a perimeter of an amazing 6,561 feet. The beaver dam is so big that it is visible from space.
How to Celebrate in International Beaver Day
Here are a few ideas on how to celebrate this holiday:
- Find out where they are present in your area. Then, go to see them and the beaver dams that they create.
- Learn more about them.
- Drawing pictures of them is a great grade school project.
Thought for Today
“With hurricanes, tornadoes, fires out of control, mudslides, flooding, severe thunderstorms tearing up the country from one end to the other, and the threat of flu and terrorist attacks, do you really think it’s a good time to take God out of the Pledge of Allegiance?” – – Jay Leno
History and Origin of International Beaver Day
This very special day was created in 2009 by Beavers: Wetlands & Wildlife (BWW).
The date was chosen as it is the birthday of Dorothy Richards. Dorothy studied beavers for over 50 years.
This Day in History
Additionally, here are some other things that happened on April 7:
- The United Nations creates the World Health Organization (WHO). (1948)
- The musical South Pacific, by Rodgers and Hammerstein, opens on Broadway. (1949)
- Charlemagne, King of the Franks, was born on this day in 742.
More April 7 Holidays
Additionally, here are more April 7 holidays you will enjoy:
More About Today
This Day in History – Indeed, many other important events occurred on this date in April. See what happened on this date in history.
Famous April Birthdays – Did you ever wonder what famous people share your birth date? If so, then find out now!
Ecards – Send a free Ecard daily for International Beaver Day or just about any calendar holiday, occasion, observance, or event. Undoubtedly, it’s fun for both the sender and the recipient.
Flower of the Day: Nemesia
Recipe of the Day: Cinnamon Twist Bread
Holiday Insights, where every day in April is a holiday, a bizarre or wacky day, an observance, or a special event. Join us in the daily calendar fun each and every day of the year.
Did You Know? Besides International Beaver Day, there are literally thousands of daily holidays, special events, and observances, more than one for every day of the year. and many of these holidays are new. People and organizations are creating new holidays regularly. April holidays are no exception. Consequently, at Holiday Insights, we take great efforts to thoroughly research and document the details of each one, as completely and accurately as possible.