Canadian beaver vs small skipper

Castor canadensis compared with Thymelicus sylvestris

Key Differences

• Canadian beaver is Not Evaluated while small skipper is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Canadian beaver	small skipper
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Rodentia (Rodents)	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)
Family	Castoridae (Beavers)	Hesperiidae
Genus	Castor (Beavers)	Thymelicus
Species	Castor canadensis	Thymelicus sylvestris

Evolutionary Relationship

Canadian beaver and small skipper share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

Canadian beaver

NE — Not Evaluated

Population: ~15.0M

Trend: Stable →

small skipper

VU — Vulnerable

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Canadian beaver	small skipper
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).

small skipper

Habitat

Inhabits Mediterranean forests and woodlands within the Palearctic biogeographic realm.

Range

Found across Europe (37 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.

small skipper

small skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris) is classified as Vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red List. Facing a high risk of endangerment in the wild, with declining populations and increasing habitat pressure.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 14 countries:

🇦🇹 Austria 🇧🇪 Belgium 🇫🇷 France 🇩🇪 Germany 🇭🇺 Hungary 🇱🇺 Luxembourg 🇳🇱 Netherlands 🇵🇱 Poland 🇵🇹 Portugal 🇷🇺 Russia 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇺🇦 Ukraine 🇬🇧 United Kingdom 🇺🇸 United States