Illustration of a giant beaver (Castoroides ohioensis). This is an extinct species of beaver that lived in North America during the Pleistocene era, which spanned from 2.6 million to 11,700 years ago. This beaver grew up to 2.4 metres long and weighed up to 100 kilograms, which is the size of a modern black bear. The hind feet of the giant beaver were much larger than those of modern beavers, while the hind legs were shorter. The teeth were also much larger, up to 15 centimetres long, and had blunt, rounded tips, which is different from the chisel-like tips found in modern beavers.