The American Beaver (Castor canadensis) is a large semi-aquatic rodent native to Canada, much of the United States, parts of northern Mexico, and they were introduced in the most southern province of Argentina, Tierra del Fuego, and they adapted to its temperate forests many years ago. Common names include North American Beaver, or simply Beaver in North America, as well as its subspecies names, the most common being the Canadian Beaver.

Its fur has a range of many colors but is usually seen as dark brown. The beaver coat comprises two types of hair. The outer section is coarse and long and covers an inner layer which is much finer. It has a rounded head, a large flat paddle-shaped tail and webbed hind feet. The unwebbed front paws are smaller, with claws. This is the largest rodent found in North America and the second largest rodent in the world (the largest rodent being the South American capybara).