European otter vs Spectacled Eider

Lutra lutra compared with Somateria fischeri

Key Differences

• European otter is Vulnerable while Spectacled Eider is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	European otter	Spectacled Eider
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Aves (Birds)
Order	Carnivora (Carnivorans)	Anseriformes (Anseriformes)
Family	Mustelidae (Weasels & Otters)	Anatidae
Genus	Lutra (Otters)	Somateria
Species	Lutra lutra	Somateria fischeri

Evolutionary Relationship

European otter and Spectacled Eider share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

European otter

VU — Vulnerable

Trend: Stable →

Spectacled Eider

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	European otter	Spectacled Eider
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.

Spectacled Eider

Habitat

Typically found in various aerial, terrestrial, and aquatic environments.

Range

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