European otter vs Guemal

Lutra lutra compared with Hippocamelus bisulcus

Key Differences

• European otter is Vulnerable while Guemal is Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	European otter	Guemal
Kingdom same	Animalia (động vật)	Animalia (động vật)
Phylum same	Chordata (động vật có dây sống)	Chordata (động vật có dây sống)
Class same	Mammalia (lớp Thú)	Mammalia (lớp Thú)
Order	Carnivora (bộ Ăn thịt)	Artiodactyla (Bộ Guốc chẵn)
Family	Mustelidae (Weasels & Otters)	Cervidae (Deer)
Genus	Lutra (Otters)	Hippocamelus
Species	Lutra lutra	Hippocamelus bisulcus

Evolutionary Relationship

European otter and Guemal share a common ancestor at the Class level: Mammalia. (lớp Thú)

Conservation Status

European otter

VU — Vulnerable

Trend: Stable →

Guemal

EN — Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	European otter	Guemal
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.

Guemal

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

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.