Canadian beaver vs Freycinet's shark

Castor canadensis compared with Hemiscyllium freycineti

Key Differences

• Canadian beaver is Not Evaluated while Freycinet's shark is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Canadian beaver	Freycinet's shark
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Elasmobranchii
Order	Rodentia (Rodents)	Orectolobiformes (Orectolobiformes)
Family	Castoridae (Beavers)	Hemiscylliidae
Genus	Castor (Beavers)	Hemiscyllium
Species	Castor canadensis	Hemiscyllium freycineti

Evolutionary Relationship

Canadian beaver and Freycinet's shark share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

Canadian beaver

NE — Not Evaluated

Population: ~15.0M

Trend: Stable →

Freycinet's shark

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Canadian beaver	Freycinet's shark
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).

Freycinet's shark

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.