European otter vs variable forklet moss

Lutra lutra compared with Dicranella varia

Key Differences

European otter is Vulnerable while variable forklet moss is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	European otter	variable forklet moss
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Bryophyta
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Bryopsida (Bryopsida)
Order	Carnivora (Carnivorans)	Dicranales (Dicranales)
Family	Mustelidae (Weasels & Otters)	Dicranellaceae
Genus	Lutra (Otters)	Dicranella
Species	Lutra lutra	Dicranella varia

Conservation Status

European otter

VU — Vulnerable

Trend: Stable →

variable forklet moss

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	European otter	variable forklet moss
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.

variable forklet moss

Habitat

Native to Europe and North America and South America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Widely distributed across Europe (5 countries), North America (United States), and South America (Colombia).

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.