Castor fiber; Print; 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. Reintroduced through much of its former range; it now occurs from Great Britain to China and Mongolia; although it is absent from Portugal; the southern Balkans; and the Middle East.; skeleton and skull