Eurasian beaver vs large flying fox

Castor fiber compared with Pteropus vampyrus

Key Differences

• Eurasian beaver is Vulnerable while large flying fox is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Eurasian beaver	large flying fox
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class same	Mammalia (Mammals)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Rodentia (Rodents)	Chiroptera (Bats)
Family	Castoridae (Beavers)	Pteropodidae (Fruit Bats)
Genus	Castor (Beavers)	Pteropus (Flying Foxes)
Species	Castor fiber	Pteropus vampyrus

Evolutionary Relationship

Eurasian beaver and large flying fox share a common ancestor at the Class level: Mammalia. (Mammals)

Conservation Status

Eurasian beaver

VU — Vulnerable

large flying fox

NT — Near Threatened

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Eurasian beaver	large flying fox
Diet	—	Herbivore
Average Lifespan	—	15 years
Average Length	—	30 cm
Average Weight	—	1.1 kg

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.

large flying fox

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, and tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, among 6 distinct biome types spanning the Australasia and Indomalayan realms. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Distributed across Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, and Thailand. Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

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.

large flying fox

The world's largest bat species, large flying foxes have wingspans reaching 1.5 meters and inhabit tropical forests from Southeast Asia to the Philippines and Indonesia. Despite the alarming name, they feed exclusively on fruit and nectar, making them vital pollinators and seed dispersers for tropical forest trees. Roost in massive colonies of thousands. Listed as Vulnerable due to hunting for bushmeat and habitat destruction.