European otter vs Simons' cotoneaster

Lutra lutra compared with Cotoneaster simonsii

Key Differences

European otter is Vulnerable while Simons' cotoneaster is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	European otter	Simons' cotoneaster
Kingdom	Animalia (สัตว์)	Plantae (พืช)
Phylum	Chordata (สัตว์มีแกนสันหลัง)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class	Mammalia (สัตว์เลี้ยงลูกด้วยน้ำนม)	Magnoliopsida (พืชใบเลี้ยงคู่)
Order	Carnivora (สัตว์กินเนื้อ)	Rosales (อันดับกุหลาบ)
Family	Mustelidae (Weasels & Otters)	Rosaceae (Rose Family)
Genus	Lutra (Otters)	Cotoneaster
Species	Lutra lutra	Cotoneaster simonsii

Conservation Status

European otter

VU — Vulnerable

Trend: Stable →

Simons' cotoneaster

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	European otter	Simons' cotoneaster
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.

Simons' cotoneaster

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (South Africa), Europe (9 countries), North America (Canada, United States), and Oceania and the Pacific (Australia, New Zealand).

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.