Giant Beavers in Ark: Your Dry-Witted Guide to Castoroides
Have you seen a creature in Ark: Survival Evolved that skipped leg day but loves wood? Meet the Castoroides, or giant beaver. These furry creatures are not just oversized rodents. They are mobile smithies, wood-gathering machines, and can be ridden too. Let’s explore everything about Castoroides in Ark, from saddles to their extinct cousins.
Can You Ride Castoroides? Saddle Up!
You can ride a Castoroides! Just like taming a Dodo, it needs some preparation. First, you need a Castoroides Saddle. This saddle unlocks your beaver-back riding adventures.
To craft this essential gear, reach level 61. Gather these materials:
- 290 Hide
- 200 Fiber
- 100 Metal Ingots
- 180 Thatch
- 140 Cementing Paste
- 50 Engram Points
Craft the saddle, equip it to your tamed Castoroides, and boom! You are ready to ride. But wait! This saddle serves a special purpose too.
The Castoroides Saddle: A Mobile Smithy
Forget hauling resources back to base. The Castoroides Saddle is a mobile Smithy! Like the Argentavis Saddle, it allows you to craft while on the go. Need tool repairs mid-adventure? Your beaver has you covered.
Castoroides in Ark: What to do with these Busy Beavers?
Riding a giant beaver is fun. But what else can they do? Quite a bit, actually. Let’s break it down.
Taming a Castoroides: Bola and Berries are Your Friends
Want a Castoroides in your dino crew? Good choice. Taming one involves classic Ark shenanigans, but with a beaver twist.
You can bola a Castoroides! This immobilizes them. Once caught, prepare for fun. Castoroides’ torpor drops quickly, so be ready. Grab tranquilizer darts or arrows and lots of narcotics to keep them asleep.
What do giant beavers eat? They are herbivores. They prefer greens over prime meat. Stock up on berries and crops to win their hearts.
Uses for Tamed Castoroides: Wood, Weight, and Winning
A tamed Castoroides is your best ally for resource gathering, especially wood. They collect wood effectively. Trees shake in fear.
To unleash their skills, hop aboard and use your right trigger (or equivalent button) near trees and bushes. Watch them demolish foliage and fill their inventory quickly.
And there’s more! Castoroides make great pack animals. Any stone, wood, thatch, and fiber carried in their inventory weighs 50% less. Use this to haul resources back efficiently.
Beaver Dams: Wild Treasure Troves (But Hands Off, Tamed Beavers!)
Ever found a wild structure that looks like a monstrous log cabin? That’s a beaver dam, built by wild Castoroides. These dams hold treasures!
Wild beaver dams can contain:
- Cementing Paste (perfect for crafting!)
- Wood (obviously)
- Silica Pearls (for electronics)
- Rare Flowers and Mushrooms (for potions)
Tamed Castoroides do NOT build dams. Only wild ones create these loot piles. Think of them as generous gift-givers for brave survivors.
A quick note: Dams will respawn if emptied completely. However, partial looting won’t replenish the resources. Clear them out entirely for better loot later!
Castoroides Biology and History: More Than Just a Big Beaver
Now let’s step away from Ark mechanics to real-world beavers. The extinct giant beaver, Castoroides, was indeed massive. They were about the size of a small bear.
Size Matters: Giant Beaver Edition
Picture a beaver that’s up to 7.2 feet (2.2 meters) long. It weighed between 198 and 276 pounds (90-125 kg). Not like your local pond beavers! These were true giants.
Extinction: Why Did the Giant Beaver Bite the Dust?
The giant beaver went extinct about 10,000 years ago. Many factors contributed to their end. Significant climate shifts changed their wetland habitats. Their specific diet also made them vulnerable.
Studies indicate that Castoroides mainly consumed aquatic plants. This dietary specialization made them reliant on specific ecosystems. As climate changed, their food sources diminished, leading to extinction. A lesson for specialized eaters; even giant beavers faced environmental changes.
This is your insightful, slightly humorous guide to Castoroides in Ark: Survival Evolved and their real-world brethren. Now go out, tame a beaver, build a base, and reflect on the extinct giants while riding your furry, wood-gathering, smithy-equipped friend.
