European otter vs Silver Shade

Lutra lutra compared with Eana argentana

Key Differences

European otter is Vulnerable while Silver Shade is Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	European otter	Silver Shade
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Carnivora (Carnivorans)	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)
Family	Mustelidae (Weasels & Otters)	Tortricidae
Genus	Lutra (Otters)	Eana
Species	Lutra lutra	Eana argentana

Evolutionary Relationship

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

View Kingdom: Animalia

Conservation Status

European otter

VU — Vulnerable

Trend: Stable →

Silver Shade

EN — Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	European otter	Silver Shade
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.

Silver Shade

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Canada, Norway, and Sweden. Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

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.