The North American beaver, known as Castor Canadensis, is the state animal of Oregon. It was adopted in 1969, and now features on the back of the state flag. Oregon is nicknamed the “Beaver State” and its athletic teams are called the “Beavers.” The beaver’s adoption was delayed due to dwindling numbers caused by extensive trapping during the North American fur trade. Today, the beaver is valued for its damming of waterways, which helps regulate erosion and maintain natural water flow.
The North American beaver serves as the state animal of Oregon, a state located in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. This species is known by the scientific name Castor Canadensis. It is, however, commonly referred to in the United States and Canada simply as “the beaver.”
Oregon traces its origins to the early 1800s, when years of dispute between Americans and British over land in the Pacific Northwest – called Oregon and Columbia County by the United States and Great Britain, respectively – were settled with the Oregon Treaty of 1846. With an Anglo-American border established, the territory the United States subsequently received eventually became the 33rd state of the union on February 14, 1859.
The beaver, however, was not adopted as the state animal of Oregon until 110 years later. In the meantime, other animals have been adopted, albeit in more species-specific terms. For example, in 1927, the Oregon Audubon Society sponsored a survey of Oregon school children that led then-Governor Isaac Patterson to proclaim the Western Meadowlark, or Sturnella neglecta, as the state bird. Similarly, in 1961, Chinook salmon, or Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, reputedly the largest salmon in the world and found primarily along the Pacific Ocean coast, was designated a state fish of Oregon, not by proclamation, but by state legislative action.
The relatively late nature of the beaver’s adoption as the state animal of Oregon can perhaps be attributed to its dwindling numbers. As the only species of beaver in North America and the largest rodent on the continent, the American beaver was highly prized for its fur. Unfortunately for the animal, extensive trapping during the 17th and 18th century North American fur trade nearly drove it to extinction.
In 1969, the beaver was finally adopted by the Oregon legislature as the state animal of Oregon. As a symbol of its importance, the beaver now features on the back of the state flag. Notably, the flag is the only one in the United States with a double-sided design.
Today, Oregon is nicknamed the “Beaver State.” Oregon State University also adopted this nickname for its athletic teams, calling them the “Beavers.” As for the Oregon state animal itself, it has experienced something of a renaissance, as the state has facilitated population growth in the area. The beaver is particularly valued for its damming of the state’s waterways, which helps regulate erosion and helps maintain natural water flow.
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