European otter vs Plum Rust

Lutra lutra compared with Tranzschelia discolor

Key Differences

• European otter is Vulnerable while Plum Rust is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	European otter	Plum Rust
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Fungi (Fungi)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Pucciniomycetes (Pucciniomycetes)
Order	Carnivora (Carnivorans)	Pucciniales (Pucciniales)
Family	Mustelidae (Weasels & Otters)	Tranzscheliaceae
Genus	Lutra (Otters)	Tranzschelia
Species	Lutra lutra	Tranzschelia discolor

Conservation Status

European otter

VU — Vulnerable

Trend: Stable →

Plum Rust

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

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

Habitat & Geographic Range

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.

Plum Rust

Habitat

Native to Europe and South America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Found across Europe (6 countries) and South America (Brazil).

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 4 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden