Canadian beaver vs Dumb-Nettle

Castor canadensis compared with Galinsoga parviflora

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Canadian beaver	Dumb-Nettle
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)
Order	Rodentia (Rodents)	Asterales (Daisies & Sunflowers)
Family	Castoridae (Beavers)	Asteraceae (Daisy Family)
Genus	Castor (Beavers)	Galinsoga
Species	Castor canadensis	Galinsoga parviflora

Conservation Status

Canadian beaver

NE — Not Evaluated

Population: ~15.0M

Trend: Stable →

Dumb-Nettle

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Canadian beaver	Dumb-Nettle
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).

Dumb-Nettle

Habitat

Inhabits deserts and xeric shrublands within the Afrotropic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (26 countries), Asia (22 countries), Europe (37 countries), North America (Canada, Dominican Republic, United States), Oceania and the Pacific (Australia, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu), and South America (5 countries).

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.