Canadian beaver vs Mottled dung beetle

Castor canadensis compared with Onthophagus nuchicornis

Key Differences

• Canadian beaver is Not Evaluated while Mottled dung beetle is Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Canadian beaver	Mottled dung beetle
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Rodentia (Rodents)	Coleoptera (Beetles)
Family	Castoridae (Beavers)	Scarabaeidae
Genus	Castor (Beavers)	Onthophagus
Species	Castor canadensis	Onthophagus nuchicornis

Evolutionary Relationship

Canadian beaver and Mottled dung beetle share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

Canadian beaver

NE — Not Evaluated

Population: ~15.0M

Trend: Stable →

Mottled dung beetle

EN — Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Canadian beaver	Mottled dung beetle
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).

Mottled dung beetle

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Found across Europe (5 countries) and North America (Canada, United States). Currently classified as 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.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 4 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇺🇸 United States