Canadian beaver vs Gray Red-backed Vole

Castor canadensis compared with Myodes rufocanus

Key Differences

• Canadian beaver is Not Evaluated while Gray Red-backed Vole is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Canadian beaver	Gray Red-backed Vole
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class same	Mammalia (Mammals)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order same	Rodentia (Rodents)	Rodentia (Rodents)
Family	Castoridae (Beavers)	Cricetidae
Genus	Castor (Beavers)	Myodes
Species	Castor canadensis	Myodes rufocanus

Evolutionary Relationship

Canadian beaver and Gray Red-backed Vole share a common ancestor at the Order level: Rodentia. (Rodents)

Conservation Status

Canadian beaver

NE — Not Evaluated

Population: ~15.0M

Trend: Stable →

Gray Red-backed Vole

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Canadian beaver	Gray Red-backed Vole
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).

Gray Red-backed Vole

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Found in Norway.

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 1 countries:

🇳🇴 Norway