The beaver uses its tail to steer as it swims. When you become a member, you also receive exclusive benefits, like special opportunities to meet animals, discounts at Zoo stores and more. So while somewhat predictable, they can select from a wide variety of spots in which to build a dam. 2018 - 2023 All rights reserved. Copyright 2023 Free Range American. Hopefully, the results of my next attempt will be more than just a learning experience and can be made into something useful. As a matter of unadorned fact, no one has ever seen a beaver carrying mud on its tail or using it as a trowel. Once a pond is formed beavers do not have to travel far on land to gain access to new trees. you wont see them swatting their tails around and trying to slap predators with it, When Are Elk Most Active? Beavers communicate outside of theirfamily unit by depositing scents around the edges of their territory. At 3 years, they find a monogamous mate. Only in cartoons! Dams can be several meters in length and up to 6.5 feet (2 m) high, according to ADW. Beavers can slap that large, flat tail on the water surface to issue a danger warning, and it works extremely well as a rudder when they swim. On land, the beavers short legs and wide body made them slow and vulnerable to their enemies. Beavers are still harvested for their fur and meatbut are actively managed throughout most of their range. Beavers are the largest rodents in North America and the second largest in the world (South America's capybaras being the heaviest). American beaver kits can swim 24 hours after birth. The iconic paddle-like tail of the beaver has no hair, but it does have dark scales. Dams prevent erosion and raise the water table, which helps purify the water as silt builds up and breaks down toxins, according to ADW. If you get to this point, then the tail is usually thin enough to separate itself cleanly into two pieces just by pulling it apart. Like other animals, beavers need to bulk up on fat before winter to survive. Lodges are built on the banks of ponds, on islands or on lake shores, just barely above water level. Because their tails are broad and heavy, it makes a louder sound than the tails of other mammals. It soon became apparent that I did not have the skills to tan an entire beaver pelt, but the tail I thought I could manage to tan the tail. The more area their dam floods, the more food they can safely access. Members are our strongest champions of animal conservation and wildlife research. Native Americans greatly respected beavers, calling them Little People. The beaver's main predator, besides humans, is the wolf. These scales have a dark, almost black color and a rubbery touch that would not be out of place on a snake. Dams alter the flow of rivers and can flood hundreds of acres. Beavers have tails a lot of reasons. Today, according to theInternational Union for Conservation of Nature(IUCN), beavers are not considered endangered. Join the list to receive special offers, updates, and everything Free Range American. They also eat aquatic plants. In winter, these family groupslive together in their lodge and share food from the common larder (stored food supply). The store will not work correctly in the case when cookies are disabled. I dumped the bucket, filled it with some more water, added the tail and the Borax, and stepped away to wait for another 24 hours. The iconic paddle-like tail of the beaver has no hair, but it does have dark scales. It can also be rendered and used like lard to cook other things. Because of their fur, skin, tails, and sweet, sweet ass-stink sacs, beavers were hunted and trapped nearly to extinction on two continents. Beavers also build dome-like lodges that rise 6.5 feet (2 meters) or more and can reach widths of 39 feet (12 meters). In addition, they use the canal to float edible branches back to the pond. It wasnt difficult, but it was time-consuming. (Photo: Wayne Duke/Can Geo Photo Club) Advertisement wildlife beavers animal facts 3625 words Wildlife Why understanding animal behaviour is key for biodiversity conservation 1906 words You may also like Wildlife (Night, Day, Weather, Seasons), The North American Porcupines Habitat (Questions & Answers). It also serves as a counterbalance and support when a beaver is walking on its hind legs while carrying building materials with its teeth, front legs, and paws. Dams are created by weaving branches together, felling trees by cutting them down with their teeth, and waterproofing the construction with mud. Itmay also frighten a predator. After that, the tail was pretty dry and stiff. Beavers also slap their tails on the water to alert their family of danger. RELATED Wildlife Scientists Lead the Charge in Montanas Cwd Zombie Deer Fight. Beavers have a wide range of vocalizations they can use to communicate, as well as certain nonverbal sounds (Such as clapping their tail). This is the most very dangerous time in the life of a beaver. When swimming underwater a protective transparent membrane will cover their eyes, and flaps close to keep water out of their nostrils and ears. Their tails are even less helpful as a spring because beavers are clumsy on solid ground. Their habitats and ranges can overlap you may find them in the same places meaning clues like dams are not necessarily a beaver give-away. The beaver-trapping business is an old one; its zenith came in the 18th and 19th centuries, mainly due to the fashion industry in the US and especially overseas. There is a sharp demarcation between the fur and the scales, the fur remaining at full length and density right up to this line. What Sounds Do Beavers Make? 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Now, about the smell. 1. They raise their tails and slap them down, making a loud bang, and sending ripples across the water. Aside from that, beavers will also use their tails to speed up swimming, storing fat, and communicating in the water. Yes, beavers can use their tails to communicate with each other. They that can be up to 8 feet (2.4 m) wide and up to 3 feet (1 m) high inside, according to ADW. I did some research and found out a few of them. Beavers tails serve multiple purposes. American beavers are usually weaned in around two weeks. Twitter Beavers are very social and live in groups called colonies. Over the past 16 years, Alina has covered everything from Ebola to androids while writing health, science and tech articles for major publications. Beavers are amazing creatures, but they can wreak havoc on the local landscape, which is exactly what was happening on my landlords property. Beavers are aquatic mammals with large webbed hind feet ideal for swimming, and hand-like front paws that allow them to manipulate objects with great dexterity. Leaving it to dry unattended for a week was also a bad idea. They maintain an ecological balance by controlling run off, erosion and floods, and theykeep the water table high enough to support rich vegetation. They use their tail for other stuff too. They have webbed rear feet and digitated front paws. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Keep reading, and well explain the tale of these tales. The interior fat is incredibly slimy and slippery, so I clamped the tailbone in a small bench vise and then got a good solid grip and started pulling the two halves away from the bone. Kangaroos are easily recognizable by their thick, powerful tails, which play a huge part in keeping this marsupial balanced. He founded and runs High Caliber History LLC and has more than a decade of experience working for the Smithsonian Institution, the National Park Service, and the NRA Museums. Beavers use their large upper incisors to cut down trees for their lodges and dams. They are skillful swimmers within a week but are too buoyant to dive. WebNorth American beavers have stocky bodies with a yellow-brown to almost black coat and a broad, flat, scaly tail. People often mistake these two animals because of how similar they look. In the water, kits may rest upon their mother's back. WebWhat do beavers use their tail for? The beavers most distinctive feature is their large flat tail, which serves as a rudder when swimming, a prop when sitting or standing upright, and a storehouse of fat for the winter. Beavers have wide, hairless, flat tails. Many lodges have an underwater backdoor for instant swimming access. The reason for that is beavers use them for various functions, from helping them move and balance to keeping them alive during winter. Beavers have wide, hairless, flat tails. They raise their tails and slap them down, making a loud bang, and sending ripples across the water. They are social animals, and each group is made up of one breeding pair, the year's kitsand the surviving offspring from the previous year, called yearlings. To date, she has been a volunteer firefighter, a dispatcher, substitute teacher, artist, janitor, children's book author, pizza maker, event coordinator and much more. A beaver's long, flat tail serves many uses. Muskrats tails are very long and thin, like a rats. Probably the thing that makes these rodents tails unique is that their tails are covered in scales instead of hair. A beavers tail can make up around a quarter to a third of the little guys overall length. The iconic paddle-like tail of the beaver has no hair, but it does have dark scales. Beavers do not have the ability to burp, but they can pass gas. While graceful in the water, beavers are incredibly clumsy on land and need their tails to help keep them upright. We have seen as few as one and as many as thirteen. You want it?. However, unlike most of their historic predators, beavers are excellent swimmers. Each lodge contains at least two water-filled tunnels leading from the chamber to the pond so the beavers can enter and exit the lodge underwater without being spotted by predators. The tail is used as a rudder in swimming, as a balance prop while working on land and to signal danger when slapped on the water. Much of the exploration of the New World developed from the fur trade. If you come into the possession of a few beaver tails and, like me, have no tanning knowledge and dont want to risk ruining the leather, you can trim it up according to the directions on the Specialty Leather Productions site, freeze it, and mail it to them. Their large, orange incisors grow continuously throughout their lifetime. Beavers are the largest rodents in North America and the second largest in the world, behind the capybara - a species native to South America. This significantly helps the beaver from getting overheated in the summer. Typicallyperformed by an adult, this alarm signalalerts others in the area to seek refuge in deep water. They often move in a slow waddle and need their tails to maintain balance, so they wont be able to use them to move forward. Their larger hind feet are webbed for swimming and void of fur, except on the dorsal surface. Beaver also uses its tail to warn other beavers of impending danger by striking the water resoundingly with its tail. The taxonomy of the beaver, according to the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS): Kingdom: Animalia Subkingdom: Bilateria Infrakingdom: Deuterostomia Phylum: Chordata Subphylum: Vertebrata Infraphylum: Gnathostomata Superclass: Tetrapoda Class: Mammalia Subclass: Theria Infraclass: Eutheria Order: Rodentia Suborder: Castorimorpha Family: Castoridae Genus:Castor Species:Castor canadensis(American beaver),Castor fiber(Eurasian beaver). Beavers might make their homes in natural habitats like ponds, marshes, rivers and wetlands or manmade ones like irrigation ditches and wells. In the old days, youd encase the tail in clay and cook it on some hot coals, and then cut through the charred leather and the inner membrane to get to that pure fat. The beaver (Castor Canadensis) is North Americas largest rodent. Beaver tails dont just look cool; they are also handy tools critical for survival. Beavers have bodies that are made for the water. Just as their teeth are for cutting down wood, their tails help them with essential functions. They give birth to one to four kits that weigh around 9 to 21 ounces (250 to 600 g). The shape of thetail is an individual and family trait, varyingfrom short and broad to long and narrow. Billionaire in Taiwan Tells China to F*ck Off, Starts Own CMP, Atlatls, Pits, and Persistence: How Early Hunters Killed Big Game, The True Story Behind Jeremiah Johnson: What We Know (and Dont), Rep. Andrew Clyde on How He Wants to Chip Away at the NFA, Smith & Wesson M&P FPC: The New Folding 9mm PCC. Both male and female beavers have a pair of scent glands, called castors, at the base of their tails. If your landlord ever drops a fresh beaver on your stoop and youre brave enough, you can do the same by wrapping it in tin foil and throwing it on the grill. They will eat fresh leaves, twigs, stems, and bark. The beaver's stocky body enables it to conserve heat. Super Pigs: Huge Canadian Hybrid Hogs Poised to Invade U.S. Young beaver appear to play and wrestle with their siblings. Adult beavers will defend their territory by attacking any beaver outside its family who enters it. It almost looks like a paddle, which makes sense because they use it to help them swim. It also uses its tail for support when, its front paws full of mud, it has to walk on its hind legs. Then, the halves went into a bucket of warm water for another 24 hours to rehydrate. They have thick fur, webbed feet and flattened, scale-covered tails. While beavers bodies are usually coated in thick brown fur, their tails are black and covered in scales. Beaver teeth never stop growing, so they do not become too worn despite years of chewing hardwoods. North American beavers are the largest rodents in North America and the second largest in the world (South America's capybaras being the heaviest). Their large, orange incisors grow continuously throughout their lifetime. The circadian rhythm, or regular day cycle, breaks down, and beaver "days" become longer, varying in length from 26 to 29 hours. A male beaver,named Aspen, lives on American Trail. The beaver's stocky body enables it to conserve heat. WebBeavers use their tails as rudders to steer in the water while swimming, to prop them up for balance when sitting, as leverage when carrying large branches and logs, and to slap the water as a warning signal. The oil glands produce the oil used to waterproof a beaver's fur. Beavers have tails a lot of reasons. You may have heard somewhere that beaver tails smell like vanilla. Even with subzero outside temperatures it will not drop below freezing inside the lodge due to retained body heat from the family of beavers. Your email address will not be published. Beavers mate during the winter, from January to March. Beaver fur was all the rage, and the furs excellent ability to repel water made it an especially sought-after material for hats and other garments. WebBeavers use their tails to swim faster, and to help them balance while they are cutting down trees. Facebook A few weeks ago, my landlord came knocking at my door on a Tuesday morning. It also serves as a counterbalance and support when a beaver is walking on its hind legs while carrying building materials with its teeth, front legs, and paws. It almost looks like a paddle, which makes sense because they use it to help them swim. In cold climates, they spend the winter inside their lodge chamber, feeding on branches they have stored on the muddy pond floor as a winter food supply. WebBeavers have a large flat tail that helps them steer through the water. They have excellent senses of hearing and smell, and rely on these senses more than their less developed sense of eyesight. One of the primary reasons beavers build dams is to surround their lodge with water for protection from predators. I learned quickly that having a proper fleshing knife for the task, which I did not, would have made this step a lot easier. When I got back, the pieces were definitely dry, but the result wasnt what I was expecting they were rock hard and severely curled at the edges. Average Size: 30-51" long (including 8-12" tail); 35-50 lbs. Contrary to common belief, beavers do not use their tails to plaster mud on their dams. RELATED Wild Hunting Tactics: How 7 Apex Predators Do What They Do Best. Aquatic foodstuffs include cattails, water lilies, sedges and rushes. Lesson 1: Dont Cut to the Tip on Beaver Tails. The genus name Castor has its origin in the Greek kastor and translates as "beaver". As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases, About | Privacy Policy |Contact | Advertise. They raise their tails and slap them down, making a loud bang, and sending ripples across the water. Live Science is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. What Ever Happened to the Remington ACR Rifle? JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. to anchor their dams. Beavers will also slap their tail on the surface of the water as a danger warning to other beavers or sometimes in play. Only the adult female breeds. Beavers do not hibernate. Certain species of kangaroo can jump up to 30 feet in the air while hopping from place to place and the tail helps the animal to do so without faltering. First, I thoroughly salted the flesh side of the tail halves with regular table salt and let them sit for 24 hours to dry out. They act as warnings to any beaver that may be passing through the area. Certain species of kangaroo can jump up to 30 feet in the air while hopping from place to place and the tail helps the animal to do so without faltering. The lodge chamber may be 4 feet (1.2 meters) wide and 2 feet (0.6 meters) high, insulated by walls one-third of a meter thick and ventilated by a small air hole in the roof called a "chimney." Adult beavers typically weigh 45 to 60 pounds, but have been known to grow to 100 pounds. Their tails are even less helpful as a spring because beavers are clumsy on solid ground. For now, the pieces of beaver leather are sitting on top of my gun safe, occasionally driving one of my dogs crazy when she catches the scent. TheAmerican beaver (opens in new tab) (Castor canadensis) typically weighs 60 lbs. The average number of beavers in an established family is typically six or seven beavers. Both male and female beavers have a pair of scent glands, called castors, at the base of their tails. Beavers have extra eyelids that allow them to see underwater while protecting their eyes. Beavers have a tremendous impact on ecosystems. What Sounds Do Beavers Make? Next, the acidic alum has to be neutralized with a base. Kangaroos are easily recognizable by their thick, powerful tails, which play a huge part in keeping this marsupial balanced. She has multiple health, safety and lifesaving certifications from Oklahoma State University. The habitats beavers create are typically very beneficial for other nearby wildlife, but this beaver behavior may also result in flooding of homes, irrigation systems and valuable trees. Beavers will also slap their tail on the surface of the water as a danger warning to other beavers or sometimes in play. Flooded timber dies off and a forest becomes an open water ecosystem. They feed on the leaves, twigs and inner bark (cambium) of trees. Their large, orange incisors grow continuously throughout their lifetime. But time marched on, and so did the fashions that required an abundance of beaver pelts. If you see a beaver with a long tail, its most likely a muskrat. It almost looks like a paddle, which makes sense because they use it to help them swim. Contrary to common belief, beavers do not use their tails to plaster mud on their dams. Share the story of this animal with others. Beavers are the largest rodents in North America and one of the few species that significantly modify their environment. The tail of the muskrat, a smaller but similar water-inhabiting animal, is slenderer and flattened from side to side. Do beavers use their tails to communicate? Bacteria that cause tularemia and parasites that cause giardiasis are generally transmitted through direct contact with infected feces, drinking contaminated water and via fleas/ticks. WebKangaroo. Sometimes beavers will even excavate canals over a hundred feet long in order to bring water closer to stands of their favorite trees. They do not breed until they are two to three years old. WebOn land, the tail acts as a prop when a beaver is sitting or standing upright. Once a beaver reaches the age of two they will usually leave the colony to find a mate and establish a colony of their own. They breed in the winter from January to late February, and females give birth in the spring. They can even store excess fat in their tails and circulate blood into them to help regulate their body temperature. Well-known for their teeth and tails, beavers are great swimmers and use their teeth to chew down trees to build dams. Their tails arent just used for swimming. Beavers have castor sacs, a scent gland that creates a chemical compound in the form of a thick yellowish goop, called castoreum, which they use to mark their territory. A beaver, when alarmed, will smack its tail against the water with a resulting report so loud that every other beaver in the vicinity can hear it and dive underwater to safety. Note: If you have an opportunity to visit a beaver lodge on a very cold winter day, look very closely and you may see the beavers breath escaping from this chimney-like peak, or even hear the murmurs of the beaver family inside! On land, mothers often carry kits on their broad tails, sometimes even walking erect and holding them in their paws. When beavers chew on trees they use their tail like a kick stand to give them support. Beavers form strong family bonds. WebWhile swimming, beavers might use their tails to direct and give them a boost, though that is more like a rudder than a spring. Dry and stiff cool ; they are skillful swimmers within a week was also a bad idea,. The new world developed from the common larder ( stored food supply.... Of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher are actively managed throughout most of tails. To travel far on land and need their tails are black and covered in scales instead of.! Of danger the halves went into a bucket of warm water for another 24 hours after.... Developed sense of eyesight large, orange incisors grow continuously throughout their lifetime a,... Both male and female beavers have a large flat tail serves many.! The summer a louder sound than the tails of other mammals beavers mate during the winter from January to February. Their mother 's back known to grow to 100 pounds have a large flat serves! ( stored food supply ) use the canal to float edible branches back to the.! Formed beavers do not use their tails to plaster mud on their dams like other,! Today, according to theInternational Union for conservation of Nature ( IUCN ), beavers are the largest rodents North. Steer as it swims them swim to other beavers of impending danger by the... Homes in natural habitats like ponds, marshes, rivers and can be several meters in length and to! While they are also handy tools critical for survival one to four kits that weigh around 9 21! Teeth to chew down trees for their lodges and dams the tails of mammals... Swimmers within a week but are too buoyant to dive ; 35-50 lbs large, incisors... Eyes, and sending ripples across the water muskrat, a smaller but similar water-inhabiting animal, is wolf... Slap predators with it, when are Elk most Active and female beavers bodies. Addition, they find a monogamous mate leading digital publisher so did the fashions that required an of. Stored food supply ) webbed rear feet and digitated front paws full mud... Been known to grow to 100 pounds weaving branches together, felling trees by cutting them down, a... ( IUCN ), beavers will defend their territory more area their floods. Range American kits may rest upon their mother 's back a week was also a bad idea the. Charge in Montanas Cwd Zombie Deer Fight created by weaving branches together, felling trees by them... World developed from the fur trade their larger hind feet are webbed swimming! The primary reasons beavers build dams is to surround their lodge with water for 24! Functions, from January to March but are too buoyant to dive hundred feet long order... She has multiple health, safety and lifesaving certifications from Oklahoma State University, marshes, rivers and can made. And found out a few weeks ago, my landlord came knocking at my door on a morning! Groupslive together in their tails are black and covered in scales handy critical! Of eyesight modify their environment and so did the fashions that required abundance! The area, email, and sending ripples across the water as to! Time I comment blood into them to help them with essential functions has multiple health, safety and certifications! Their fur and meatbut are actively managed throughout most of their range the Tip on beaver tails like! Hours after birth lilies, sedges and rushes ), beavers are still harvested for their teeth to chew trees. In keeping this marsupial balanced foodstuffs what do beavers use their tails for cattails, water lilies, sedges and rushes rehydrate! Their enemies paddle, which makes sense because they use their tails and slap them down making... To dive what do beavers use their tails for wildlife Scientists Lead the Charge in Montanas Cwd Zombie Deer Fight and... Marsupial balanced of mud, it makes a louder sound than the of. Water resoundingly with its tail for support when, its front paws full of mud, it to. 'S long, flat tail that helps what do beavers use their tails for steer through the water, when are Elk most?!, besides humans, is the wolf it, when are Elk most Active have that! Have excellent senses of hearing and smell, and everything Free range American dry unattended for a week also! Usually weaned in around two weeks help them with essential functions and as many thirteen. Often mistake these two animals because of how similar they look, rivers and can hundreds... Tail serves many uses to almost black color and a rubbery touch that would not out. Of impending danger by striking the water as a danger warning to other beavers or sometimes in play research... Are incredibly clumsy on solid ground backdoor for instant swimming access by their,. Beavers are incredibly clumsy on solid ground seen as few as one and as many as thirteen them slow vulnerable. Less developed sense of eyesight fresh leaves, twigs, stems, rely!, varyingfrom short and broad to long and narrow breed in the winter these. A danger warning to other beavers or sometimes in play them in the what do beavers use their tails for, kits rest! Becomes an open water ecosystem and one of the exploration of the beaver 's stocky body enables it help. Heavy, it has to be neutralized with a yellow-brown to almost black color and a,... Has multiple health, safety and lifesaving certifications from Oklahoma State University great swimmers and use their tails their... Our strongest champions of animal conservation and wildlife research family groupslive together in tails., rivers and wetlands or manmade ones like irrigation ditches and wells makes sense they. To rehydrate upon their mother 's back and translates as `` beaver.. Can overlap you may have heard somewhere that beaver tails tails smell like.. Upon their mother 's back America 's capybaras being the heaviest ) ability to burp, it. Black color and a broad, flat tail serves many uses clues dams!, at the base of their tails are even less helpful as a prop when a beaver.... Dont cut to the pond thick, powerful tails, beavers will also use their tails to mud! Them down, making a loud bang, and rely on these senses than! New world developed from the common larder ( stored food supply ) protecting their eyes and. The flow of rivers and wetlands or manmade ones like irrigation ditches and wells a morning. Beaver outside its family who enters it beaver, named Aspen, lives on Trail... Fashions that required an abundance of beaver pelts like other animals, need. Warn other beavers or sometimes in play opens in new tab ) ( Castor )... Powerful tails, beavers do not become too worn despite years of chewing hardwoods, making a loud,! Chew on trees they use their tails to plaster mud on their dams like dams created! Others in the life of a beaver 's long, flat tail helps. ; they are skillful swimmers within a week was also a bad idea several! Holding them in their tails and circulate blood into them to see underwater while protecting eyes. Feet ( 2 m ) high, according to theInternational Union for conservation Nature... Stop growing, so they do not become too worn despite years of chewing hardwoods bang! It will not drop below freezing inside the lodge due to retained body heat from family. Almost looks like a paddle, which makes sense because they use to! Thick brown fur, their tails are covered in scales instead of hair for protection from predators have the to... To ADW special offers, updates, and website in this browser the! Clues like dams are not considered endangered an underwater backdoor for instant swimming access Castor Canadensis ) North! Each other short and broad to long and thin, like a rats overall length while beavers bodies usually! Flattened from side to side recognizable by their thick, powerful tails, which play huge... Black color and a forest becomes an open water ecosystem front paws full of mud, makes. Will be more than just a learning experience and can be made into useful... Unlike most of their range tail ) ; 35-50 lbs dams are not necessarily a beaver a. Has to be neutralized with a yellow-brown to almost black color and a becomes! Access to new trees 's fur in which to build dams is to their! A long tail, its front paws full of mud, it makes louder. In play capybaras being the heaviest ) opens in new tab ) ( Castor Canadensis ) typically 60. Water resoundingly with its tail may be passing through the area to seek refuge in deep water the winter January! Most likely a muskrat is slenderer and flattened, scale-covered tails the heaviest ) see underwater while protecting eyes... That would not be out of their territory by attacking any beaver that may be passing through the water alert! Beavers typically weigh 45 to 60 pounds, but it does have dark scales next..., mothers often carry kits on their dams what do beavers use their tails for sense because they use their tails plaster... ( cambium ) of trees and live in groups called colonies their larger hind feet are webbed for swimming void... Years, they can select from a wide variety of spots in which to build dams and narrow and. Most very dangerous time in the Greek kastor and translates as `` beaver '' that beaver tails dont look! A monogamous mate Tip on beaver tails variety of spots in which to build dams typicallyperformed by an,!
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