Balkan Yam vs Giant Otter

Dioscorea balcanica compared with Pteronura brasiliensis

Key Differences

• Balkan Yam is Near Threatened while Giant Otter is Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Balkan Yam	Giant Otter
Kingdom	Plantae (Plants)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Liliopsida (Monocots)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Dioscoreales (Dioscoreales)	Carnivora (Carnivorans)
Family	Dioscoreaceae	Mustelidae (Weasels & Otters)
Genus	Dioscorea	Pteronura
Species	Dioscorea balcanica	Pteronura brasiliensis

Conservation Status

Balkan Yam

NT — Near Threatened

Giant Otter

EN — Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Balkan Yam	Giant Otter
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Balkan Yam

Habitat

Typically found in grasslands, wetlands, forests, and cultivated landscapes.

Giant Otter

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Distributed across Colombia and Venezuela. Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Balkan Yam

The Balkan Yam (Dioscorea balcanica) is a species in the genus Dioscorea. It is currently classified as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in grasslands, wetlands, forests, and cultivated landscapes.