Otter, Fischotter vs Leopard Chimaera

Lutra lutra compared with Chimaera panthera

Key Differences

• Otter, Fischotter is Vulnerable while Leopard Chimaera is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Otter, Fischotter	Leopard Chimaera
Kingdom same	Animalia (Tier)	Animalia (Tier)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordatiere)	Chordata (Chordatiere)
Class	Mammalia (Säugetiere)	Holocephali (Holocephali)
Order	Carnivora (Raubtiere)	Chimaeriformes (Seekatzen)
Family	Mustelidae (Weasels & Otters)	Chimaeridae
Genus	Lutra (Otters)	Chimaera
Species	Lutra lutra	Chimaera panthera

Evolutionary Relationship

Otter, Fischotter and Leopard Chimaera share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordatiere)

Conservation Status

Otter, Fischotter

VU — Vulnerable

Trend: Stable →

Leopard Chimaera

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

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

Habitat & Geographic Range

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.

Leopard Chimaera

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.