Canadian beaver vs western toad

Castor canadensis compared with Anaxyrus boreas

Key Differences

• Canadian beaver is Not Evaluated while western toad is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Canadian beaver	western toad
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Amphibia (Amphibians)
Order	Rodentia (Rodents)	Anura (Frogs & Toads)
Family	Castoridae (Beavers)	Bufonidae
Genus	Castor (Beavers)	Anaxyrus
Species	Castor canadensis	Anaxyrus boreas

Evolutionary Relationship

Canadian beaver and western toad share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

Canadian beaver

NE — Not Evaluated

Population: ~15.0M

Trend: Stable →

western toad

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Canadian beaver	western toad
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).

western toad

Habitat

Typically found in freshwater habitats, moist forests, and wetlands.

Range

Found in Mexico.

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.