Canadian beaver vs Lesser Golden-bellied Rice Rat

Castor canadensis compared with Nephelomys nimbosus

Key Differences

• Canadian beaver is Not Evaluated while Lesser Golden-bellied Rice Rat is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Canadian beaver	Lesser Golden-bellied Rice Rat
Kingdom same	Animalia (प्राणी)	Animalia (प्राणी)
Phylum same	Chordata (रज्जुकी)	Chordata (रज्जुकी)
Class same	Mammalia (स्तनधारी)	Mammalia (स्तनधारी)
Order same	Rodentia (कृंतक)	Rodentia (कृंतक)
Family	Castoridae (Beavers)	Cricetidae
Genus	Castor (Beavers)	Nephelomys
Species	Castor canadensis	Nephelomys nimbosus

Evolutionary Relationship

Canadian beaver and Lesser Golden-bellied Rice Rat share a common ancestor at the Order level: Rodentia. (कृंतक)

Conservation Status

Canadian beaver

NE — Not Evaluated

Population: ~15.0M

Trend: Stable →

Lesser Golden-bellied Rice Rat

VU — Vulnerable

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Canadian beaver	Lesser Golden-bellied Rice Rat
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).

Lesser Golden-bellied Rice Rat

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Distributed across Colombia and Ecuador. 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.