Canadian beaver vs false heath fritillary

Castor canadensis compared with Melitaea diamina

Key Differences

• Canadian beaver is Not Evaluated while false heath fritillary is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Canadian beaver	false heath fritillary
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Rodentia (Rodents)	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)
Family	Castoridae (Beavers)	Nymphalidae (Brush-footed Butterflies)
Genus	Castor (Beavers)	Melitaea
Species	Castor canadensis	Melitaea diamina

Evolutionary Relationship

Canadian beaver and false heath fritillary share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

Canadian beaver

NE — Not Evaluated

Population: ~15.0M

Trend: Stable →

false heath fritillary

VU — Vulnerable

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Canadian beaver	false heath fritillary
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).

false heath fritillary

Habitat

Inhabits Mediterranean forests and woodlands within the Palearctic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Found across Europe (35 countries). Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

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 13 countries:

🇦🇹 Austria 🇧🇪 Belgium 🇫🇮 Finland 🇫🇷 France 🇩🇪 Germany 🇭🇺 Hungary 🇱🇺 Luxembourg 🇳🇱 Netherlands 🇳🇴 Norway 🇵🇱 Poland 🇷🇺 Russia 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇺🇦 Ukraine