European otter vs Lesser Noctule

Lutra lutra compared with Nyctalus leisleri

Key Differences

• European otter is Vulnerable while Lesser Noctule is Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	European otter	Lesser Noctule
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (cordados)	Chordata (cordados)
Class same	Mammalia (mamíferos)	Mammalia (mamíferos)
Order	Carnivora (carnívoros)	Chiroptera (morcego)
Family	Mustelidae (Weasels & Otters)	Vespertilionidae
Genus	Lutra (Otters)	Nyctalus
Species	Lutra lutra	Nyctalus leisleri

Evolutionary Relationship

European otter and Lesser Noctule share a common ancestor at the Class level: Mammalia. (mamíferos)

Conservation Status

European otter

VU — Vulnerable

Trend: Stable →

Lesser Noctule

EN — Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	European otter	Lesser Noctule
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.

Lesser Noctule

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Luxembourg, Sweden, and Ukraine. Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

European otter

Mustelídeo semiacuático de corpo esguio encontrado ao longo de rios limpos, riachos e costas da Europa e Ásia. A lontra-europeia (Lutra lutra) pode atingir 1,3 metros de comprimento e é uma caçadora de peixes altamente habilidosa, usando bigodes sensíveis para detectar os movimentos de suas presas. Necessitando de água não poluída com abundância de peixes, é uma espécie indicadora da saúde dos ecossistemas de água doce. Quase extinta na Europa Ocidental devido à caça e à poluição, as populações se recuperaram significativamente após melhorias na qualidade da água.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 4 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇺🇦 Ukraine