Includes bibliographical references and index.

Part I: The organism -- 1. Now and then: the species, including fossils -- 2. Form, weight, and special adaptations -- 3. Diving the thermoregulation: from land mammal to semiaquatic design and function -- 4. Energy budget -- Part II: Behavior -- 5. Families as social units -- 6. Communication by scent and sound -- 7. Infrastructure: dams, lodges, trails, and canals -- 8. Beaver time -- 9. Food selection -- Part III: Populations -- 10. Reproduction, development, and life expectancy -- 11. Population densities and dynamics -- 12. Finding a home: dispersal -- Part IV: Ecology -- 13. Where they live and why: habitat requirements -- 14. Mortality and predators -- 15. Parasites and diseases -- 16. Maker of landscapes: creating habitat for plants, animals, and people -- Part V: Beaver and people: conservation, use, and management -- 17. "Here before Christ": fur trade, the "beaver republic" (Hudson's Bay Company), and fur trapping today -- 18. Reintroductions and other transplants -- 19. "Nuisance beavers" claim their land -- 20. Needed: an ecosystems engineer for habitat restoration and other services -- 21. Conservation and proactive management. "In an up-to-date, illustrated, and comprehensive book on beaver biology and management, Dietland Muller-Schwarze and Lixing Sun gather a wealth of scientific knowledge about both the North American and Eurasian beaver species. The Beaver is designed to satisfy the curiosity and answer the questions of anyone with an interest in these animals, from students who enjoy watching beaver ponds at nature centers to homeowners who hope to protect their landscaping."--Jacket.