© 2020 Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) | ™ Trademarks owned by The Nature Conservancy of Canada. © 1996-2015 National Geographic Society, © 2015- Thick and water repellent, their fur keeps their skin dry despite a mostly aquatic lifestyle. They learn to swim when they are about two months old, when their mother pushes them into the water.

The Five Dimensions of Global Cultural Flow, New Mexico Human Rights Act: Definition & Overview, Conducting & Interpreting Diagnostic Tests for the Genitourology System, Plant Cell Mitochondria: Structure & Role, Quiz & Worksheet - Bow & Arrow Evolution Timeline, Quiz & Worksheet - Reversible & Irreversible Work, Quiz & Worksheet - Food Preparation Skills, Flashcards - Real Estate Marketing Basics, Flashcards - Promotional Marketing in Real Estate, NY Regents Exam - Physics: Help and Review, Introduction to World Religions: Certificate Program, Quiz & Worksheet - Characteristics of Stolons, Quiz & Worksheet - Characteristics of Bronfenbrenner's Microsystem, Quiz & Worksheet - Organizing Knowledge with Schemata & Scripts, Quiz & Worksheet - Expansionary Fiscal Policy, Quiz & Worksheet - Life & Ideas of Friedrich Nietzsche, What is Circumference? Otters are also very sensitive to environmental pollution. Their underbody is usually lighter in colour. They also sometimes intertwine their feet with another sea otter, so that they stay together. All otters are expert hunters that eat fish, crustaceans, and other critters. | {{course.flashcardSetCount}} They are so adept with their teamwork, they easily outcompete larger predators like jaguars and caiman for fish. Unfortunately, humans are not quite as skilled at fishing and see giant otters as competition for valuable profits. Sciences, Culinary Arts and Personal However, the most serious threat to giant otter populations today is habitat destruction.

Our otter habitat is really something to be seen! They tend to stick to the shallow waters so that they can easily reach land when they are … Create an account to start this course today. credit by exam that is accepted by over 1,500 colleges and universities. Otters are found on every single continent in the world except for Australia and Antarctica. They have thick fur that caused them to be hunted to near extinction. Although giant otters don't have fins like a scuba diver or even fins like a fish, their four paws are webbed, creating a similar effect. study Sea otters prefer coastal habitats within a mile of the shoreline. If you've ever been scuba diving or snorkeling, you know that donning a pair of large fins makes you swim far faster than your own feet, which are designed for land.
Toll-free: 1.877.231.3552, Donor inquiries Otter abodes feature numerous tunnels—one of which usually allows them to come and go from the water. Warning: It seems JavaScript is either disabled or not supported by your browser. To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member. In addition to their waterproof fur, giant otters also have webbed feet, long tails, nose and ear coverings for swimming, and vibrissae to detect prey. These otters' range has been greatly reduced by habitat loss, though they exist in such numbers that they are trapped in some locales. It’s hard to argue the sheer beauty and overall presence of the Florida Everglades otter.

After gestation of 9.5 – 12.5 months, including a period of delayed implantation, a litter of 2-3 young are produced, at least once a year but not necessarily every year. Get the unbiased info you need to find the right school. Trees surround them in the tropical forest, providing shade in the heat of the midday sun. However, today the giant otter faces different challenges with humans. Maybe, that’s what makes them so cute and adorable.

These beautiful creatures, covered in muscles coated with a dark brown fur are endangered due to habitat destruction and hunting. They are able to live in a variety of different habitats, including rivers, lakes and large creeks. Mating season is from late winter to early spring. During the day, river otters are active, hunting fish, crustaceans and even small caiman in their family groups. For example, the otters in the Florida Everglades are North American river otters, also known as the common otter. The only types of ecosystems in which otters cannot be found are deserts, mountains, and polar regions. All rights reserved. Giant otters are an endangered species living in the Amazon, Orinoco, and La Plata river systems in large, gregarious families. Located in the Rocky Mountain Trench, this area features extensive wetlands that are perfect for river otters. {{courseNav.course.mDynamicIntFields.lessonCount}} lessons These whiskers are extremely sensitive and can detect small changes in current, allowing them to detect their prey without even seeing them.

- Formula & Definition, Oklahoma Alternative Teacher Certification, Benefits of Study.com vs. Otters are also a lot like humans in their social family. Food The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) continues to protect habitat across Canada where river otters live. Otters are found from Newfoundland to Vancouver Island and north to Yukon Territory. If an area is polluted, the river otter will move to a new place that isn’t tainted. Otter Facts and Information. This playful mammal is making a splash across Canada. Their nostrils and ears close to keep water out, and waterproof fur keeps them warm.

Most species are entirely dependent on aquatic habitats for food. After two months, the female otter teaches the full-sighted pups how to swim. Giant otters are mammals related to the weasel family. These otters swim by propelling themselves with their powerful tails and flexing their long bodies. Otters are free from most predators fairly safe in their aquatic environment, but will occasionally be preyed upon by wolves or coyotes on trips over land. It makes its home in a burrow near the water's edge, and can thrive in river, lake, swamp, or estuary ecosystems. In Canada, they can be found in every province and territory except Prince Edward Island, where they appear to be extirpated. P.O. With such small numbers already, this is making it harder for the giant otter population to recover. Primary diet of otter consists of fish such as minnows and trout but they will also feed on dragonfly nymphs, water beetles, bugs, frogs, tadpoles, newts and even mammals such as muskrat, meadow voles, shrews and beavers. River otters are especially playful, gamboling on land and splashing into rivers and streams. It makes its home in a burrow near the water's edge, and can thrive in river, lake, swamp, or estuary ecosystems. As part of the weasel family, otters love the water and are most playful. credit-by-exam regardless of age or education level. The sea otter is listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List, pressured by pollution, pesticides, and conflicts with fishermen who kill them for eating their fish. The giant otter is native only to the Amazon, Orinoco, and La Plata river systems in South America. Habitat.
During the day, river otters are active, hunting fish, crustaceans and even small caiman in their family gr… They dwell in flooded forests, slow moving rivers, streams, lakes and swamps. © copyright 2003-2020 Study.com. Otters are fond of tobogganing down snowy, grassy or muddy slopes on their bellies. Most are small, with short ears … They have brown, water-repellent fur, webbed feet and long tails. River otters can measure up to 1.4 metres in length from nose to tail, and weigh up to almost nine kilograms. They must carefully groom their fur and furry undercoat to keep them clean and sealed off to water, because they’re not covered in a fatty layer like other seagoing creatures. In any case, you will love our otter habitat and enjoy as they frolic with one another. Status: Near Threatened These adorable creatures are not endangered but are sensitive to pollution causing them to become a protected species. Each giant otter needs up to nine pounds of fish per day, so with twenty mouths to feed that's quite a lot of hunting! These adorable creatures are not endangered but are sensitive to pollution causing them to become a protected species. What Is Service Intangibility in Marketing? You can commonly find them living in beaver dams. A group of giant otters easily corners and captures fish. River otters (genus Lutra) inhabit all types of inland waterways, as well as estuaries and marine coves. When the young are only about two months old, they get an advanced swimming lesson—their mother pushes them into the water. The pups are born blind and spend the first month of their lives in their dens with the female.

Otters and their mustelid relatives were once hunted extensively for their fur, many to the point of near extinction. When diving, their ears and nose close when they submerge underwater as well. Enrolling in a course lets you earn progress by passing quizzes and exams. Their numbers are currently declining, with no population recovery in sight.

Otters prefer shores of deep, clear water in lakes, rivers, marshes and ocean bays. Create your account, Already registered? Not sure what college you want to attend yet? A2H 6J8, Honourable Elvis Loveless Like humans, giant otters are quite gregarious. 2020 National Geographic Partners, LLC. Earn Transferable Credit & Get your Degree.

Today you'll be learning about the giant otter. If you've ever gotten a nose full of water in a swimming pool, you understand this is a very valuable adaptation! Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture Fish are a favorite food, but they also eat amphibians, turtles, and crayfish. They look for fish and other aquatic animals, hunting skillfully in groups. Toronto, Ontario, Canada  M4P 3J1, nature@natureconservancy.ca Otters also have particularly stinky poop, which even has its own name: spraints. Although they are able to reproduce annually, it is more likely for this species to give birth every two years.