Beavers: Castoridae

Beavers were once common throughout Europe, Asia, and North America before people began hunting them for their thick, glossy pelts, fur. People used these pelts for coats and hats. People also dined on beaver and used the scents produced by their castor glands for perfume. In Europe, beavers were almost hunted to extinction, no longer existing, by 1860 C.E.

Beavers also can affect the water flow of an ecosystem. By constructing dams and burrowing into banks, they increase the wetland area and overall growth in an area. This helps organisms around the area flourish. For people, beaver's altering of a landscape can be a nuisance. Damming can flood roads, crops, and homes.