Beaver

Beaver

Castor canadensis

Size: 3-4 ft ( total length )

Habitat: in and around water

Notes:
Famous for their dam-building habits, beavers were once a major ecological force in North America, reshaping a very large proportion of the land to suit themselves. Unfortunately for them, they also became a major economic force - much of the early exploration of the continent was done by fur trappers. Today, beavers are rare, and virtually non-existent in New Jersey, although there are a few colonies.

beaver
Beaver lodge
Beaver lodge

regulator

Hose protectors are those funny rubbery tubes that fit over the ends of your air hoses. Their purpose is to prevent the hose from being bent sharply at the connector, which will eventually cause it to fail. However, they are practically impossible to put on. Here's a hint that makes it easy:

Soak the hose protector for a few minutes in not-quite-boiling water. This will make it much more soft and pliable. Then fish it out and jam it onto the hose quickly before it cools and hardens. Be careful not to get water in the hose orifice. Maybe I'm slow, but it took me quite a while to figure out this simple trick.