Canadian beaver vs Oxbow Diving Beetle

Castor canadensis compared with Hydroporus rufifrons

Key Differences

• Canadian beaver is Not Evaluated while Oxbow Diving Beetle is Critically Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Canadian beaver	Oxbow Diving 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)	Dytiscidae
Genus	Castor (Beavers)	Hydroporus
Species	Castor canadensis	Hydroporus rufifrons

Evolutionary Relationship

Canadian beaver and Oxbow Diving Beetle share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

Canadian beaver

NE — Not Evaluated

Population: ~15.0M

Trend: Stable →

Oxbow Diving Beetle

CR — Critically Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Canadian beaver	Oxbow Diving 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).

Oxbow Diving Beetle

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. 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.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 3 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden