What's up with the Beaver?

On my 18 mile drive home this week - over the course of 3 nights, I saw:
5 deer (a pair yesterday and a set of 3 Wednesday)
4 wild turkeys - yes, just wondering on the side of the road - and they are HUGE
1 beaver - standing on the side of the road, eating something as cars zoomed by.

I'm completely amazed at the beavers. They can be spotted along major roadways standing up just watching traffic or nibbling something (buttered popcorn?) as the cars fly by. They don't seem afraid of cars yet, I've never seen one squished on the side of the road. I have however spotted:
squirrels (countless, not including the one Paul hit)
1 deer
2 skunks
2 racoons
1 opossum

In the city, I saw dead pigeons and the occassional rat but for the most part, that was the wild life and building managers usually took care of most of the fatalities.