Schwertbinse vs Otter, Fischotter

Juncus ensifolius compared with Lutra lutra

Key Differences

• Schwertbinse is Not Evaluated while Otter, Fischotter is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Schwertbinse	Otter, Fischotter
Kingdom	Plantae (Pflanzen)	Animalia (Tier)
Phylum	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Chordata (Chordatiere)
Class	Liliopsida (Monocots)	Mammalia (Säugetiere)
Order	Poales (Süßgrasartige)	Carnivora (Raubtiere)
Family	Juncaceae	Mustelidae (Weasels & Otters)
Genus	Juncus	Lutra (Otters)
Species	Juncus ensifolius	Lutra lutra

Conservation Status

Schwertbinse

NE — Not Evaluated

Otter, Fischotter

VU — Vulnerable

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Schwertbinse	Otter, Fischotter
Diet	—	Carnivore
Average Lifespan	—	10 years
Average Length	—	1.0 m
Average Weight	—	10.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Schwertbinse

Habitat

Typically found in grasslands, wetlands, forests, and cultivated landscapes.

Range

Widely distributed across Europe (10 countries), North America (Canada, United States), and Oceania and the Pacific (Australia).

Otter, Fischotter

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.

Otter, Fischotter

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 4 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden