European otter vs Thread Weed

Lutra lutra compared with Ulva compressa

Key Differences

European otter is Vulnerable while Thread Weed is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	European otter	Thread Weed
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Chlorophyta (Chlorophyta)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Ulvophyceae (Ulvophyceae)
Order	Carnivora (Carnivorans)	Ulvales (Ulvales)
Family	Mustelidae (Weasels & Otters)	Ulvaceae
Genus	Lutra (Otters)	Ulva
Species	Lutra lutra	Ulva compressa

Conservation Status

European otter

VU — Vulnerable

Trend: Stable →

Thread Weed

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	European otter	Thread Weed
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.

Thread Weed

Habitat

Native to Asia and Europe and Oceania, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Taiwan), Europe (4 countries), Oceania and the Pacific (New Zealand), 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.