The
Eurasian beaver or
European beaver (
Castor fiber) is a
species of
beaver which was once widespread in Eurasia. It was hunted to near-extinction for both its
fur and
castoreum, and by 1900 only 1200 beavers survived in eight relict populations in Europe and Asia. Re-introduced through much of its former range, it now occurs from
Great Britain to
China and
Mongolia, although it is absent from
Italy,
Portugal, the southern
Balkans and the
Middle East.