Canadian beaver vs River Thread-moss

Castor canadensis compared with Bryum riparium

Key Differences

• Canadian beaver is Not Evaluated while River Thread-moss is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Canadian beaver	River Thread-moss
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Bryophyta
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Bryopsida (Bryopsida)
Order	Rodentia (Rodents)	Bryales (Bryales)
Family	Castoridae (Beavers)	Bryaceae
Genus	Castor (Beavers)	Bryum
Species	Castor canadensis	Bryum riparium

Conservation Status

Canadian beaver

NE — Not Evaluated

Population: ~15.0M

Trend: Stable →

River Thread-moss

VU — Vulnerable

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Canadian beaver	River Thread-moss
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).

River Thread-moss

Habitat

Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Norway and Sweden. 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 2 countries:

🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden