Canadian beaver vs Caucasian Alder

Castor canadensis compared with Alnus subcordata

Key Differences

• Canadian beaver is Not Evaluated while Caucasian Alder is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Canadian beaver	Caucasian Alder
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)
Order	Rodentia (Rodents)	Fagales (Beeches & Oaks)
Family	Castoridae (Beavers)	Betulaceae
Genus	Castor (Beavers)	Alnus
Species	Castor canadensis	Alnus subcordata

Conservation Status

Canadian beaver

NE — Not Evaluated

Population: ~15.0M

Trend: Stable →

Caucasian Alder

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Canadian beaver	Caucasian Alder
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).

Caucasian Alder

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

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.

Caucasian Alder

The Caucasian Alder (Alnus subcordata) is a species in the genus Alnus. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.