Canadian beaver vs Green Shield-Moss

Castor canadensis compared with Buxbaumia viridis

Key Differences

Canadian beaver is Not Evaluated while Green Shield-Moss is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Canadian beaver	Green Shield-Moss
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Bryophyta
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Bryopsida (Bryopsida)
Order	Rodentia (Rodents)	Buxbaumiales (Buxbaumiales)
Family	Castoridae (Beavers)	Buxbaumiaceae
Genus	Castor (Beavers)	Buxbaumia
Species	Castor canadensis	Buxbaumia viridis

Conservation Status

Canadian beaver

NE — Not Evaluated

Population: ~15.0M

Trend: Stable →

Green Shield-Moss

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Canadian beaver	Green Shield-Moss
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).

Green Shield-Moss

Habitat

Native to Europe and North America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and United States. 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.