Canadian beaver vs large tortoiseshell

Castor canadensis compared with Nymphalis polychloros

Key Differences

• Canadian beaver is Not Evaluated while large tortoiseshell is Critically Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Canadian beaver	large tortoiseshell
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)	Nymphalis
Species	Castor canadensis	Nymphalis polychloros

Evolutionary Relationship

Canadian beaver and large tortoiseshell share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

Canadian beaver

NE — Not Evaluated

Population: ~15.0M

Trend: Stable →

large tortoiseshell

CR — Critically Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Canadian beaver	large tortoiseshell
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 tortoiseshell

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, temperate coniferous forests, and boreal forests and taiga, among 9 distinct biome types within the Palearctic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Found across Europe (39 countries). Currently classified as Critically Endangered 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.

large tortoiseshell

large tortoiseshell (Nymphalis polychloros) is classified as Critically Endangered (CR) on the IUCN Red List. Facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild due to severe population decline and habitat loss.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 15 countries:

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