The dome-shaped home built by beavers is called a lodge.
A beaver lodge is a sheltered dwelling made from branches, logs, mud, and other vegetation. Many lodges sit in ponds or along the edges of waterways, with underwater entrances that help the beavers enter and leave while reducing exposure to predators. Inside, the family uses dry chambers above the waterline for resting and raising young.
Beavers often build dams nearby, but a dam is not their home. A dam is an engineering structure that blocks or slows flowing water, creating the pond that protects the lodge and keeps its entrances submerged. This distinction explains why “dam” is a tempting but incorrect answer to the question.
Lodges vary in shape and construction. Some are built as large free-standing heaps in water, while others are bank lodges excavated into a riverbank and reinforced with wood and mud. Beavers maintain and repair their structures continually, adding fresh branches and mud as needed. Their building activity can transform local wetlands, creating habitat for fish, amphibians, birds, and aquatic plants.