Alpine Pika vs Canadian beaver

Ochotona alpina compared with Castor canadensis

Key Differences

• Alpine Pika is Least Concern while Canadian beaver is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Alpine Pika	Canadian beaver
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class same	Mammalia (Mammals)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Lagomorpha (Rabbits & Hares)	Rodentia (Rodents)
Family	Ochotonidae	Castoridae (Beavers)
Genus	Ochotona	Castor (Beavers)
Species	Ochotona alpina	Castor canadensis

Evolutionary Relationship

Alpine Pika and Canadian beaver share a common ancestor at the Class level: Mammalia. (Mammals)

Conservation Status

Alpine Pika

LC — Least Concern

Canadian beaver

NE — Not Evaluated

Population: ~15.0M

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Alpine Pika	Canadian beaver
Diet	—	Herbivore
Average Lifespan	—	15 years
Average Length	—	1.0 m
Average Weight	—	25.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Alpine Pika

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Canadian beaver

Habitat

Typically found in grasslands, forests, and vegetated habitats.

Range

Widely distributed across Europe (15 countries), North America (United States), and South America (Argentina, Chile).

Alpine Pika

The Alpine Pika (Ochotona alpina) is a species in the genus Ochotona. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Canadian beaver

The largest rodent in North America, Canadian beavers weigh up to 32 kg and are master ecosystem engineers inhabiting rivers, lakes, and wetlands across Canada and the northern United States. By felling trees and constructing dams up to hundreds of meters long, beavers create ponds that provide habitat for hundreds of species. Their lodges and canals transform entire watersheds. Once nearly hunted to extinction for their fur, beaver populations have recovered strongly.