European otter vs Lesser Mouse-eared Myotis

Lutra lutra compared with Myotis blythii

Key Differences

• European otter is Vulnerable while Lesser Mouse-eared Myotis is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	European otter	Lesser Mouse-eared Myotis
Kingdom same	Animalia (животные)	Animalia (животные)
Phylum same	Chordata (хордовые)	Chordata (хордовые)
Class same	Mammalia (млекопитающие)	Mammalia (млекопитающие)
Order	Carnivora (хищные)	Chiroptera (рукокрылые)
Family	Mustelidae (Weasels & Otters)	Vespertilionidae
Genus	Lutra (Otters)	Myotis
Species	Lutra lutra	Myotis blythii

Evolutionary Relationship

European otter and Lesser Mouse-eared Myotis share a common ancestor at the Class level: Mammalia. (млекопитающие)

Conservation Status

European otter

VU — Vulnerable

Trend: Stable →

Lesser Mouse-eared Myotis

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	European otter	Lesser Mouse-eared Myotis
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 Mouse-eared Myotis

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Found in Ukraine.

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.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 1 countries:

🇺🇦 Ukraine