Canadian beaver vs cape hare

Castor canadensis compared with Lepus capensis

Key Differences

• Canadian beaver is Not Evaluated while cape hare is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Canadian beaver	cape hare
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class same	Mammalia (Mammals)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Rodentia (Rodents)	Lagomorpha (Rabbits & Hares)
Family	Castoridae (Beavers)	Leporidae (Rabbits & Hares)
Genus	Castor (Beavers)	Lepus
Species	Castor canadensis	Lepus capensis

Evolutionary Relationship

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

Conservation Status

Canadian beaver

NE — Not Evaluated

Population: ~15.0M

Trend: Stable →

cape hare

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

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

Habitat & Geographic 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).

cape hare

Habitat

Inhabits tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests and tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas within the Neotropic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Distributed across Australia, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, and Italy.

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.

cape hare

The Cape Hare (Lepus capensis) is a species in the genus Lepus. It is currently classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List. Inhabits tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests and tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas within the Neotropic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 1 countries:

🇨🇱 Chile