Canadian beaver vs crested newt

Castor canadensis compared with Triturus cristatus

Key Differences

• Canadian beaver is Not Evaluated while crested newt is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Canadian beaver	crested newt
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Amphibia (Amphibians)
Order	Rodentia (Rodents)	Caudata (Caudata)
Family	Castoridae (Beavers)	Salamandridae
Genus	Castor (Beavers)	Triturus
Species	Castor canadensis	Triturus cristatus

Evolutionary Relationship

Canadian beaver and crested newt share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

Canadian beaver

NE — Not Evaluated

Population: ~15.0M

Trend: Stable →

crested newt

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Canadian beaver	crested newt
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).

crested newt

Habitat

Typically found in freshwater habitats, moist forests, and wetlands.

Range

Found across Europe (6 countries). Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

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.

crested newt

crested newt (Triturus cristatus) is classified as Near Threatened (NT) on the IUCN Red List. Close to qualifying as threatened, with populations that may become vulnerable without conservation action.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 5 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇱🇺 Luxembourg 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇺🇦 Ukraine