Mountain Beaver

Aplodonia rufa

The only living member of the family Aplodontidae, the mountain beaver is considered to be a living fossil of sorts. It seems to be closely related to the earliest known mammals. It is found in parts of British Columbia down to parts of east-central California. The mountain beaver is a fossorial animal meaning that it will dig tunnels underground in which to live and transport its foodstuffs. It's usually a solitary creature but if forced to live in a commune, it will not huddle but rather seems quite agitated. It can be found at the bases of mountains, from the valleys up to the timberline, where it feeds on the bark of deciduous vegetation during summer and relies on twigs and buds in wintertime.