European otter vs Redclaw

Lutra lutra compared with Cherax quadricarinatus

Key Differences

European otter is Vulnerable while Redclaw is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	European otter	Redclaw
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Malacostraca (Crustaceans)
Order	Carnivora (Carnivorans)	Decapoda (Decapoda)
Family	Mustelidae (Weasels & Otters)	Parastacidae
Genus	Lutra (Otters)	Cherax
Species	Lutra lutra	Cherax quadricarinatus

Evolutionary Relationship

European otter and Redclaw share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

View Kingdom: Animalia

Conservation Status

European otter

VU — Vulnerable

Trend: Stable →

Redclaw

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	European otter	Redclaw
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.

Redclaw

Habitat

Inhabits tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests within the Indomalayan biogeographic realm.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (4 countries), Asia (8 countries), Europe (8 countries), North America (5 countries), and South America (5 countries).

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.