Big Finner vs Canadian beaver

Balaenoptera physalus compared with Castor canadensis

Key Differences

• Big Finner is Endangered while Canadian beaver is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Big Finner	Canadian beaver
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class same	Mammalia (Mammals)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Cetacea (Whales & Dolphins)	Rodentia (Rodents)
Family	Balaenopteridae (Rorquals)	Castoridae (Beavers)
Genus	Balaenoptera (Rorquals)	Castor (Beavers)
Species	Balaenoptera physalus	Castor canadensis

Evolutionary Relationship

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

Conservation Status

Big Finner

EN — Endangered

Canadian beaver

NE — Not Evaluated

Population: ~15.0M

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

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

Habitat & Geographic Range

Big Finner

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, flooded grasslands and savannas, and montane grasslands and shrublands, among 4 distinct biome types within the Neotropic biogeographic realm.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Taiwan), Europe (5 countries), and South America (Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela). Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

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).

Big Finner

Big Finner (Balaenoptera physalus) is classified as Endangered (EN) on the IUCN Red List. At high risk of extinction in the wild, with significant population decline and ongoing threats to survival.

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.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 4 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇳🇴 Norway 🇵🇹 Portugal 🇸🇪 Sweden