vs European otter

Calliacantha simplex compared with Lutra lutra

Key Differences

• is Not Evaluated while European otter is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank		European otter
Kingdom	Protozoa (protozoa)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Choanozoa (Choanozoa)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Choanoflagellatea (Choanoflagellatea)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Choanoflagellida (Choanoflagellida)	Carnivora (Carnivorans)
Family	Acanthoecidae	Mustelidae (Weasels & Otters)
Genus	Calliacantha	Lutra (Otters)
Species	Calliacantha simplex	Lutra lutra

Conservation Status

NE — Not Evaluated

European otter

VU — Vulnerable

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

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

Habitat & Geographic Range

Habitat

Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Norway and Sweden.

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.

The (Calliacantha simplex) is a species in the genus Calliacantha. Distributed across Norway and Sweden.

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.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 2 countries:

🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden