Canadian beaver vs Large Bear Hoverfly

Castor canadensis compared with Criorhina ranunculi

Key Differences

• Canadian beaver is Not Evaluated while Large Bear Hoverfly is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Canadian beaver	Large Bear Hoverfly
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Rodentia (Rodents)	Diptera (Diptera)
Family	Castoridae (Beavers)	Syrphidae
Genus	Castor (Beavers)	Criorhina
Species	Castor canadensis	Criorhina ranunculi

Evolutionary Relationship

Canadian beaver and Large Bear Hoverfly share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

Canadian beaver

NE — Not Evaluated

Population: ~15.0M

Trend: Stable →

Large Bear Hoverfly

VU — Vulnerable

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Canadian beaver	Large Bear Hoverfly
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).

Large Bear Hoverfly

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Norway, and Sweden. 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 3 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden