Mammals · Rodentia · Castoridae

American Beaver

Castor canadensis

Not Evaluated

It has not yet been assessed against the IUCN criteria. See full glossary

It is the ecosystem engineer par excellence among mammals: its dams and canals transform the landscape outright, creating wetlands that benefit countless other species.

Weight

12 kg – 25 kg

Size

60 cm – 80 cm

Lifespan

24 years

Diet

Herbivore

Feeds mainly on plants.

Activity

Nocturnal

Active mainly at night.

Social structure

Family group

Lives in small family groups with close bonds.

Sighting difficulty

Unknown

FreshwaterHerbivore Nocturnal Family group Freshwater Mammal

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Fun facts

Only the colony's dominant female breeds each year.
It eats the bark, leaves and twigs of trees such as willow and poplar.
It lives in rivers, lakes and streams across much of North America.
ecologíaIt can transform an ecosystem outright by building dams that create whole wetlands, which is why it is considered a keystone engineer.
anatomíaIt can close its lips behind its front incisors, so it can gnaw wood while fully submerged.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
Habitat & environment: Rivers, lakes and streams across much of North America
Birth weight: 230-630 g at birth, fully furred and with eyes open
Size at birth: 230-630 g at birth
Sexual maturity: 1.5-2 years
Gestation / incubation: ~4 months
Litter / clutch size: 2 to 4 young per litter (average 2.3-4.1)
Lifespan in captivity: Documented record of up to 23.4 years