Eurasian beaver vs Imperial shag

Castor fiber compared with Leucocarbo atriceps

Key Differences

• Eurasian beaver is Vulnerable while Imperial shag is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Eurasian beaver	Imperial shag
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Aves (Birds)
Order	Rodentia (Rodents)	Suliformes (Suliformes)
Family	Castoridae (Beavers)	Phalacrocoracidae
Genus	Castor (Beavers)	Leucocarbo
Species	Castor fiber	Leucocarbo atriceps

Evolutionary Relationship

Eurasian beaver and Imperial shag share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

Eurasian beaver

VU — Vulnerable

Imperial shag

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Eurasian beaver	Imperial shag
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Eurasian beaver

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Found across Europe (6 countries). Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Imperial shag

Habitat

Typically found in various aerial, terrestrial, and aquatic environments.

Eurasian beaver

Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber) 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.