What animal is the national symbol of Canada?

The beaver is the animal used as a national symbol of Canada.

Its association with Canada grew from the fur trade, when beaver pelts were among the most valuable commodities exchanged across North America. The Hudson’s Bay Company even placed a beaver on its coat of arms, helping connect the animal with exploration, commerce, and the country’s early colonial history.

Canada formally recognized the beaver as an official national symbol in 1975. It also appears on the Canadian five-cent coin, commonly called the nickel. The coin’s design has changed over time, but the beaver has remained a familiar emblem of Canadian identity.

A common mix-up is confusing the beaver with the maple leaf. The maple leaf is arguably Canada’s best-known visual symbol and appears on the national flag, while the beaver is the country’s official national animal. The loon is also strongly associated with Canada because it appears on the one-dollar coin, nicknamed the loonie.