Canadian beaver vs Northern Rock Deermouse

Castor canadensis compared with Peromyscus nasutus

Key Differences

• Canadian beaver is Not Evaluated while Northern Rock Deermouse is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Canadian beaver	Northern Rock Deermouse
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class same	Mammalia (Mammals)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order same	Rodentia (Rodents)	Rodentia (Rodents)
Family	Castoridae (Beavers)	Cricetidae
Genus	Castor (Beavers)	Peromyscus
Species	Castor canadensis	Peromyscus nasutus

Evolutionary Relationship

Canadian beaver and Northern Rock Deermouse share a common ancestor at the Order level: Rodentia. (Rodents)

Conservation Status

Canadian beaver

NE — Not Evaluated

Population: ~15.0M

Trend: Stable →

Northern Rock Deermouse

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Canadian beaver	Northern Rock Deermouse
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).

Northern Rock Deermouse

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

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.