Exquisite Biome - an ecosystem-crafting game

Loving all the thoughts so far - I think for teeth it could have a relatively primitive/unspecialised tooth arrangement (I mean, it's still a heterodont like most mammals/has different-shaped teeth, so it's got grindy molors and snippy incisors and not-very-pronounced-but-still functional canines).

Yeah, that makes sense. It's already got that specialization in its fingertongue

Another thought for it's face.... if it's it's this specialized digit for gathering hive bugs, it must generally avoid shoving it's face into things. I like to think it's got thick fur on its face to prevent bugs from biting or stinging it, but then it's got a lot of longer whiskers that help it sense what's going on round its head. These whiskers could also give it a good sense of water currents to aid in its riverbed engineering.

Yes!! Big whiskers! Especially since it's going to likely be semi-aquatic, as you mentioned.

I dig btp's suggestion of beardozer, but would also to chuck "bearver" into the mix

Oooh, that's a hard choice. I like them both! But with the caveat that I don't think this thing actually looks that much like a bear beyond its stout body.

Beardozer is definitely Cooler, but bearver seems more... reasonable. Maybe it has two names?