Not a true beaver — a primitive rodent in its own family that's evolutionarily isolated from all other living rodents. Burrows extensively in cool damp forest soil.
§ Quick facts
§ Encyclopedia
The mountain beaver is a North American rodent. It is the only living member of its genus, Aplodontia, and family, Aplodontiidae. It should not be confused with true North American and Eurasian beavers, to which it is not closely related; the mountain beaver is instead more closely related to squirrels. There are seven subspecies of mountain beaver, six of which are found in California and three of which are endemic to the state.
Source: Wikipedia — Mountain beaver Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
§ Identification
Field marks. Stout reddish-brown rodent; nearly tailless; small eyes and ears.
Similar species. Beaver (much larger; paddle tail). Pocket gophers (smaller).
Voice. Whistles; grinding teeth.
§ Diet & behavior
Diet. Sword ferns, salal, conifer twigs.
Behavior. Not actually a beaver — sole living member of family Aplodontiidae. Among the most primitive rodents; lineage 50+ million years old.
§ Range
Pacific Northwest from British Columbia to northern California
§ Habitat
Cool moist coniferous forests with dense understory
§ Threats
Pacific Northwest old-growth loss, climate-driven habitat warming, timber operations.
§ Conservation status
According to the IUCN Red List, the mountain beaver is currently classified as Least Concern.
§ What helps
Support Pacific Northwest old-growth protection. Maintain cool moist forest streamsides.
§ Further reading
- Wikipedia — Mountain beaver
- www.nwf.org — authoritative profile of Aplodontia rufa
- IUCN Red List · taxon 1869
- iNaturalist · taxon 46116
- GBIF occurrence records
- Encyclopedia of Life — Aplodontia rufa
§ Sources cited
- Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
- American Society of Mammalogists
- IUCN Red List 2016
