European otter vs Shadowed Waxcap

Lutra lutra compared with Hygrocybe phaeococcinea

Key Differences

European otter is Vulnerable while Shadowed Waxcap is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	European otter	Shadowed Waxcap
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Fungi (Fungi)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)
Order	Carnivora (Carnivorans)	Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)
Family	Mustelidae (Weasels & Otters)	Hygrophoraceae
Genus	Lutra (Otters)	Hygrocybe
Species	Lutra lutra	Hygrocybe phaeococcinea

Conservation Status

European otter

VU — Vulnerable

Trend: Stable →

Shadowed Waxcap

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	European otter	Shadowed Waxcap
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.

Shadowed Waxcap

Habitat

Typically found in forest floors, decomposing wood, and soil ecosystems.

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

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.