Editing Beaver (section)

==Distribution and status==

[[File:Beaver near Swan Lake (33797143245).jpg|thumb|right|alt=A beaver at the shores of a lake|North American beaver in [[Yellowstone National Park]].]]

The [[IUCN Red List]] of mammals lists both beaver species as [[Least-concern species|least concern]].<ref name=iucn-canadensis>{{cite iucn |author=Cassola, F.|title=''Castor canadensis'' |volume=2016 |page=e.T4003A22187946 |year=2016 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T4003A22187946.en}}</ref><ref name=iucn-fiber>{{cite iucn |author=Batbold, J. |author2=Batsaikhan, N. |author3=Shar, S. |author4=Hutterer, R. |author5=Kryštufek, B. |author6=Yigit, N. |author7=Mitsainas, G. |author8=Palomo, L. |year=2021 |amends=2016 |title=''Castor fiber'' |page=e.T4007A197499749 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-1.RLTS.T4007A197499749.en}}</ref> The North American beaver is widespread throughout most of the United States and Canada and can be found in northern Mexico. The species was introduced to Finland in 1937 (and then spread to northwestern Russia) and to [[Tierra del Fuego|Tierra del Fuego, Patagonia]], in 1946.<ref name=iucn-canadensis/> {{As of|2019}}, the introduced population of North American beavers in Finland has been moving closer to the habitat of the Eurasian beaver.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Alakoski|first1=R.|last2=Kauhala|first2=K.|last3=Selonen|first3=V.|year=2019|title=Differences in habitat use between the native Eurasian beaver and the invasive North American beaver in Finland|journal=Biological Invasions|volume=21|issue=5|pages=1601–1613|doi=10.1007/s10530-019-01919-9|doi-access=free|bibcode=2019BiInv..21.1601A }}</ref> Historically, the North American beaver was trapped and nearly extirpated because its fur was highly sought after. Protections have allowed the beaver population on the continent to rebound to an estimated 6–12{{spaces}}million by the late 20th century; still far lower than the originally estimated 60–400{{spaces}}million North American beavers before the fur trade.<ref name=Naiman>{{cite journal |title=Alteration of North American Streams by Beaver |author1=Naiman, Robert J. |author2=Johnston, Carol A. |author2-link=Carol A. Johnston |author3=Kelley, James C. |journal=[[BioScience]] |date=Dec 1988 |pages=753–762 |doi=10.2307/1310784 |url=http://www.landscouncil.org/documents/Beaver_Project/Articles/Naiman_et_al_1988_alter_n_american_streams_by_beaver.pdf |access-date=February 28, 2010 |volume=38 |issue=11 |jstor=1310784 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120304035814/http://www.landscouncil.org/documents/Beaver_Project/Articles/Naiman_et_al_1988_alter_n_american_streams_by_beaver.pdf |archive-date=March 4, 2012}}</ref> The introduced population in Tierra del Fuego is estimated at 35,000–50,000 individuals {{As of|2016|lc=y}}.<ref name=iucn-canadensis/>

The Eurasian beaver's range historically included much of Eurasia, but was decimated by hunting by the early 20th century. In Europe, beavers were reduced to fragmented populations, with combined population numbers being estimated at 1,200 individuals for the [[Rhône]] of France, the [[Elbe]] in Germany, southern Norway, the [[Neman|Neman river]] and [[Dnieper|Dnieper Basin]] in Belarus, and the [[Voronezh (river)|Voronezh river]] in Russia. The beaver has since recolonized parts of its former range, aided by conservation policies and [[Reintroduction of beavers to Europe|reintroductions]]. Beaver populations now range across western, central, and eastern Europe, and [[western Russia]] and the [[Scandinavian Peninsula]].<ref name=iucn-fiber/> Beginning in 2009, beavers have been successfully reintroduced to parts of Great Britain.<ref>{{cite web |title=Beaver reintroduction in the UK |url=https://www.rspb.org.uk/our-work/our-positions-and-casework/our-positions/species/beaver-reintroduction-in-the-uk/ |url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201106144420/https://www.rspb.org.uk/our-work/our-positions-and-casework/our-positions/species/beaver-reintroduction-in-the-uk/ |archive-date=November 6, 2020 |access-date=September 28, 2020 |publisher=[[Royal Society for the Protection of Birds]]}}</ref> {{As of|2020|alt=|pre=In|bare=y}}, the total Eurasian beaver population in Europe was estimated at over one million.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Wróbel |first=M. |year=2020 |title=Population of Eurasian beaver (''Castor fiber'') in Europe |journal=Global Ecology and Conservation |volume=23 |page=e01046 |doi=10.1016/j.gecco.2020.e01046|doi-access=free |bibcode=2020GEcoC..2301046W }}</ref> Small native populations are also present in Mongolia and northwestern China; their numbers were estimated at 150 and 700, respectively, {{As of|2016|lc=y}}.<ref name=iucn-fiber/> Under New Zealand's [[Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996]], beavers are classed as a "prohibited new organism" preventing them from being introduced into the country.<ref>{{cite web |title=Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 2003 – Schedule 2 Prohibited new organisms |url=http://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1996/0030/latest/DLM386556.html#DLM386556 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201106092832/http://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1996/0030/latest/DLM386556.html |archive-date=November 6, 2020 |access-date=January 26, 2012 |publisher=New Zealand Government}}</ref>