# Where Do North American Beavers Live?

> Where north american beavers live: Rivers, lakes, and ponds across North America, native range cues, and human overlap. Status Least Concern.

- **Species:** North American Beaver (*Castor canadensis*)
- **Conservation status:** Least Concern
- **Diet:** Herbivore — bark, twigs, aquatic plants, and roots
- **Habitat:** Rivers, lakes, and ponds across North America
- **Lifespan:** 10–20 years in the wild
- **Top speed:** Up to 55 km/h (34 mph) swimming; clumsy on land
- **Canonical HTML:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/beaver/where-do-beaver-live/
- **Parent profile:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/beaver/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Quick answer

The North American beaver is a large rodent that fells trees and builds dams and lodges, creating wetlands that benefit fish, birds, and other wildlife. Adults weigh 16–32 kg (35–70 lb), have webbed feet and a flat tail, and can stay underwater for up to 15 minutes.

## Who should skip this page

Skip this if you need a sighting hotline. This page is native range and habitat.

## Dam building

Beavers cut trees with powerful incisors and weave branches into dams that raise water levels, protecting lodge entrances and creating ponds. These wetlands filter water, reduce flooding downstream, and provide habitat for hundreds of species — beavers are considered ecosystem engineers.

## Help protect the North American Beaver

Beaver wetlands support fish, birds, and drought resilience — yet beavers are still removed where their dams flood farmland.

[Donate to habitat protection](https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/reforestation-benefits-wildlife/)

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/beaver/where-do-beaver-live/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.