Giant Beaver Colouring

The giant beaver, Castoroides ohioensis, lived in Pleistocene North America. Fossils are especially common around the Great Lakes in Canada and the United States, and the species is named for Ohio, where early remains were described. It was one of the largest rodents ever known, reaching roughly two metres in length and perhaps 100 kilograms or more. Huge curved incisors carried grooves along their outer surfaces. Its broad body, strong hind feet and ear openings suited wetlands, but its tail was probably longer and less paddle-shaped than that of a modern beaver. Chemical evidence suggests it ate soft aquatic plants rather than relying heavily on bark and wood. Its special character was therefore not simply being an enlarged dam builder. Researchers have not found convincing evidence that Castoroides cut trees or constructed dams like modern beavers. It probably swam among marshes, ponds and slow rivers, harvesting reeds and submerged vegetation. Fossils cannot reveal an exact lifespan, and no named last animal is recorded. Giant beavers disappeared near the end of the last Ice Age, around 10,000 to 11,000 years ago. As glaciers retreated, many shallow wetlands changed or drained and aquatic plant communities shifted. Human hunting is possible, but habitat and food loss may have been especially important. Colour the thick coat chestnut, dark chocolate, reddish brown or soft grey. Use cream around the muzzle, black-brown for the nose and a warm ivory for the giant incisors. Add fine darker lines inside the tooth grooves. The tail can be a deeper brown than the body, while the paws are grey-brown. Make the water light blue or turquoise, the cattails green with brown heads, the lily pad bright green and the distant conifers deep green. Short layered strokes create wet-looking fur; long horizontal strokes make calm water. Leave white ripples near the feet and a highlight on each incisor. Keep the page open and peaceful so children can notice the bear-like size, enormous teeth and wetland setting without mistaking this Ice Age specialist for an ordinary modern beaver.

◫ A4 size✎ Bold outlines♡ Ages 3–8

Download JPEGHigh-resolution A4 image Download PDFPrint-ready A4 file

Make it an activity

Choose a favourite colour palette
Add a simple background
Display the finished artwork

Grown-up note: Please supervise printing and choose age-appropriate art materials.