European otter vs Western Gorse

Lutra lutra compared with Ulex gallii

Key Differences

• European otter is Vulnerable while Western Gorse is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	European otter	Western Gorse
Kingdom	Animalia (hayvan)	Plantae (bitki)
Phylum	Chordata (Kordalılar)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class	Mammalia (memeliler)	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)
Order	Carnivora (etçiller)	Fabales (Legumes & Allies)
Family	Mustelidae (Weasels & Otters)	Fabaceae
Genus	Lutra (Otters)	Ulex
Species	Lutra lutra	Ulex gallii

Conservation Status

European otter

VU — Vulnerable

Trend: Stable →

Western Gorse

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	European otter	Western Gorse
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.

Western Gorse

Habitat

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

Range

Found across Europe (6 countries).

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 3 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden