Balkan Yam vs Eurasian beaver

Dioscorea balcanica compared with Castor fiber

Key Differences

• Balkan Yam is Near Threatened while Eurasian beaver is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Balkan Yam	Eurasian beaver
Kingdom	Plantae (Plants)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Liliopsida (Monocots)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Dioscoreales (Dioscoreales)	Rodentia (Rodents)
Family	Dioscoreaceae	Castoridae (Beavers)
Genus	Dioscorea	Castor (Beavers)
Species	Dioscorea balcanica	Castor fiber

Conservation Status

Balkan Yam

NT — Near Threatened

Eurasian beaver

VU — Vulnerable

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Balkan Yam	Eurasian beaver
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Balkan Yam

Habitat

Typically found in grasslands, wetlands, forests, and cultivated landscapes.

Eurasian beaver

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Found across Europe (6 countries). Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Balkan Yam

The Balkan Yam (Dioscorea balcanica) is a species in the genus Dioscorea. It is currently classified as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in grasslands, wetlands, forests, and cultivated landscapes.

Eurasian beaver

Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber) is classified as Vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red List. Facing a high risk of endangerment in the wild, with declining populations and increasing habitat pressure.