Eurasian beaver vs Lesser Prickly Sedge

Castor fiber compared with Carex muricata

Key Differences

• Eurasian beaver is Vulnerable while Lesser Prickly Sedge is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Eurasian beaver	Lesser Prickly Sedge
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Liliopsida (Monocots)
Order	Rodentia (Rodents)	Poales (Grasses)
Family	Castoridae (Beavers)	Cyperaceae
Genus	Castor (Beavers)	Carex
Species	Castor fiber	Carex muricata

Conservation Status

Eurasian beaver

VU — Vulnerable

Lesser Prickly Sedge

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Eurasian beaver	Lesser Prickly Sedge
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.

Lesser Prickly Sedge

Habitat

Typically found in grasslands, wetlands, forests, and cultivated landscapes.

Range

Widely distributed across Europe (7 countries), North America (Canada, United States), and South America (Ecuador). 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.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 3 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden