Canadian beaver vs Lesser Smoothcap

Castor canadensis compared with Atrichum angustatum

Key Differences

• Canadian beaver is Not Evaluated while Lesser Smoothcap is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Canadian beaver	Lesser Smoothcap
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Bryophyta
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Polytrichopsida (Polytrichopsida)
Order	Rodentia (Rodents)	Polytrichales (Polytrichales)
Family	Castoridae (Beavers)	Polytrichaceae
Genus	Castor (Beavers)	Atrichum
Species	Castor canadensis	Atrichum angustatum

Conservation Status

Canadian beaver

NE — Not Evaluated

Population: ~15.0M

Trend: Stable →

Lesser Smoothcap

VU — Vulnerable

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Canadian beaver	Lesser Smoothcap
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).

Lesser Smoothcap

Habitat

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

Range

Found across Europe (5 countries) and North America (United States). 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 5 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇳🇴 Norway 🇵🇹 Portugal 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇺🇸 United States