Broadleaf Cape vs European otter

Cynophalla hastata compared with Lutra lutra

Key Differences

Broadleaf Cape is Least Concern while European otter is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Broadleaf Cape	European otter
Kingdom	Plantae (Plants)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Brassicales (Brassicales)	Carnivora (Carnivorans)
Family	Capparaceae	Mustelidae (Weasels & Otters)
Genus	Cynophalla	Lutra (Otters)
Species	Cynophalla hastata	Lutra lutra

Conservation Status

Broadleaf Cape

LC — Least Concern

European otter

VU — Vulnerable

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Broadleaf Cape	European otter
Diet	—	Carnivore
Average Lifespan	—	10 years
Average Length	—	1.0 m
Average Weight	—	10.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Broadleaf Cape

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Range

Distributed across Brazil and Colombia.

European otter

Habitat

Typically found in diverse ecosystems where prey species are available.

Range

Found across Europe (6 countries). Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Broadleaf Cape

The Broadleaf Cape (Cynophalla hastata) is a species in the genus Cynophalla. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

European otter

Sleek semi-aquatic mustelid found along clean rivers, streams, and coastlines across Europe and Asia. European otters can reach 1.3 meters in length and are highly skilled fish hunters, using sensitive whiskers to detect prey movements. Requiring unpolluted water with abundant fish, they are an indicator species for freshwater ecosystem health. Once nearly extinct in Western Europe from hunting and pollution, populations have recovered significantly following water quality improvements.