ALL Otters Week! (whether you like it or not ;)

This week we'll be looking at... wait for it... OTTERS!
Which otters?!?

ALL OTTERS!

We'll take a brief peek each day at what is currently going on with each of the otter species around the world, right now...

First, some basic info about each species. There are 13 known modern species of otters, spread out across 5 of the 7 continents of the world.  Otters are not found in Australia, the surrounding islands, or Antarctica. See map above for distribution of specific species.


 Currently all, but one, of the species are experiencing a decline in populations. Five otter species are considered endangered, 2 are considered vulnerable (or near threatened), 5 are listed as near threatened, and only one of the species listed is in the category of "least concern" by the IUCN Otter Specialist Group.

Otter species status:	Status	Population Trend
Sea Otter ~ Enhydra lutris	Endangered	Decreasing
North American River Otter ~ Lontra canadensis	Least Concern	Stable
Neotropical Otter ~ Lontra longicaudis	Near Threatened	Decreasing
Marine Otter ~ Lontra felina	Endangered	Decreasing
South American River Otter ~ Lontra provocax	Endangered	Decreasing
Giant Otter ~ Pteronura brasiliensis	Endangered	Decreasing
Spotted-Necked Otter ~ Hydrictis maculicollis	Near Threatened	Decreasing
African/Cape Clawless Otter ~ Aonyx capensis	Near Threatened	Decreasing
Congo Clawless Otter ~ Aonyx congicus	Near Threatened	Decreasing
Eurasian Otter ~ Lutra lutra	Near Threatened	Decreasing
Hairy Nosed Otter ~ Lutra sumatrana	Endangered	Decreasing
Smooth Coated Otter ~ Lutrogale perspicillata	Vulnerable	Decreasing
Asian Small-Clawed Otter ~ Aonyx cinereus	Vulnerable	Decreasing

An introduction to each otter species...

Sea Otter ~ Enhydra lutris Sea Otters spend their entire lives in the ocean, only leaving the water in the case of extremely bad storms. They are also one of the known tool-using mammals, using rocks to break shells open so they can consume the shellfish inside. It is important that they are able to do this well because they have to eat about 30% of their body weight every day!

North American River Otter ~ Lontra canadensis North American River Otters are highly adaptable to different types of habitats, but are very sensitive to pollution and changes in water quality. They are extremely playful, and turn almost all regular activities into a game. They do not tend to pair-bond (though sometimes they do), but males will help to raise the pups if given the opportunity. Males tend to be more solitary than females, but they don't do well alone for long periods of time and will seek out the company of other otters.

Neotropical Otter ~ Lontra longicaudis Unlike most otter species, Neotropical Otters are relatively solitary. Male and female Neotropical Otters meet one day a year for breeding, and then go their separate ways. Neotropical Otters prefer clear, fast-flowing water. Habitat destruction and water pollution are major threats to this species.

Marine Otter ~ Lontra felina Marine Otters seem to be the only otter other than the sea otter that do not require access to fresh water to wash themselves. Though Marine Otters tend to be solitary, they are generally friendly (but not highly sociable) with other otters. They do sometimes hunt cooperatively, groups of two or three otters working together to catch larger fish. Also, Marine Otters have hairy noses! (Also known as the Sea Cat)

Southern River Otter ~ Lontra provocax Southern River Otters tend to have a very short life span. Few live to maturity, and only 1% live to 10 years of age. They are generally solitary, coming together mainly to mate. The female raises the pups alone, and there are no social groups beyond this.   They have territories like other otters, but the size of these territories is unknown and it appears that they are not particularly defensive of them.

Giant Otter ~ Pteronura brasiliensis From nose to tail, Giant Otters can be up to 6ft long! Their tails are flattened and flanged, and very strong. Their ears are comparably small, and their eyes very large.  Giant Otters are at the top of the Brazilian food chain. They eat fish, small caiman, crustaceans, snakes, and birds. Giant Otters are incredibly sociable, and often hunt in groups. They live in family groups of ten or more, sometimes up to twenty otters!

Spotted-Necked Otter ~ Hydrictis maculicollis Due to genetics work done on otters, this otter has been put in to a new genus, Hydrictis! (more about that in an other post!) Spotted-necked Otters are fairly small, weighing form 10 to 20 lbs.They live alone or in small family groups, but often form social and hunting groups of five to twenty members. They spend more time in the water than other freshwater species, almost never leaving the water's edge. Resting sites, holts, latrines, and breeding areas are all right next to the water; they are not very agile on land. Like other otters, the Spotted-necked Otter tends to turn everything it does into a game.

Cape/African Clawless Otter ~ Aonyx capensis The Cape Clawless Otter's feet have almost no webbing, and claws only on the three middle toes of the hind feet. The front feet are very sensitive and hand-like. In fact, they are so dexterous with their front paws that they are left- or right-handed, just like people are. They use their hands to dig for prey in the mud or under rocks. They tend to form loose social and foraging groups with other otters.  Like other otters, they are incredibly playful and are excellent swimmers.They don't spend as much time in the water as other otters, and are willing to travel farther from it in search of a new home. (Also known as African Clawless Otter)

Congo Clawless Otter ~ Aonyx congicus Congo Clawless Otters' back feet have small claws on the three middle toes, and very little webbing. The front feet have very small claws and no webbing. The front paws are very sensitive, like those of its close relative the Cape Clawless Otter, to increase success in finding food under rocks and in the mud.  Their short fur (providing less insulation) and the abbreviated webbing of its feet make the Congo Clawless Otter the least adapted otter for life in the water. Congo Clawless Otters are mostly solitary, only interacting with other otters when monogamous pairs come together to mate.

Eurasian Otter ~ Lutra lutra Eurasian Otters are found almost everywhere in Europe and Asia that is near water, fresh or salt, as long as there are freshwater pools nearby for drinking and bathing. They tend to live alone except when mating, when the male and female may stay close together for about a week, or for females, when raising a litter. Though they are excellent swimmers, Eurasian Otters can only hold their breath for about 30 seconds!

Hairy Nosed Otter ~ Lutra sumatrana Very little is known about the Hairy Nosed Otter. It is endangered and incredibly rare. The nose is completely covered in hair, and the feet are webbed, with strong claws.The major threat to Hairy Nosed Otters is from humans: hunting, habitat competition, destruction, and pollution. Despite efforts to establish a captive breeding program, there have only been three of these otters held in captivity (and unfortunately, all male).

Smooth Coated Otter ~ Lutrogale perspicillata  The Smooth Coated Otter prefers to live in undisturbed areas. They hunt during the day and at night, sometimes alone and sometimes in large groups. Smooth Coated Otters mate for life, and live in family groups consisting of the mated pair and their pups (often including full-grown pups). The alpha female is dominant and determines hierarchy within the group, while the alpha male moves the group through their territory. Smooth Coated Otters are proficient both on land and in water. They are powerful swimmers, and on land they climb and jump quite well.

Asian Small-Clawed Otter ~ Aonyx cinereus  The Asian Small-Clawed Otter is the smallest of all otter species, and also the most social. They mate for life, and live in family groups of between four and twelve, and sometimes up to twenty, otters. The group hunts, plays, and sleeps together. These otters will travel a long distance out of water in search of new habitats. They don't generally dive deeper than their body length in search of food, and spend more time out of the water than most otter species. (Also known as Oriental Small-Clawed Otter)

New otter videos up!

We've finally had time to get a few of our otter (and other) videos up at
Quest^X (it's an obvious ploy to distract you for a bit while we catch up on some other stuff ; )

Enjoy!

(we'll be back soon with more distractions : )

Common MisIdentifications of the North American River Otter

When people hear that I am interested in otters, one of the responses I get is "I saw an otter in my neighborhood pond!" They then go on to describe a critter that is very clearly a beaver. Well, clearly if you know what you're looking for... another common response (on the West coast), is "I saw a sea otter running along _____ (insert near-water road, like Chuckanut) Drive!". These can be tricky critters to distinguish from each other if you don't know the signs, but happily, there are several fairly easy ways to tell a beaver from a river otter from a sea otter.


First, a little background info

This is a North American River Otter

North American River Otters are semiaquatic (lives both on land and in water) mammals found in and near waters across North America. They eat primarily fish and shellfish, generally live in holts (like dens) in the ground in or very near river banks, and are noted for their intelligence, agility, and playfulness. It's not uncommon to see a river otter swimming in the ocean, but you will never see one building a dam!

This is a Beaver

Beavers are also semi-aquatic mammals (to be specific, they're rodents) that live in rivers, lakes, and streams across North America. They eat leaves, shoots, and bark of trees and water plants. They build dams, and live in lodges (see below). Beavers are strong, slow swimmers, and do not move at high speeds on land.

This is a Sea Otter

But this is how you usually see them

Sea Otters are marine mammals. They live off the Western coast of North America (from southern California to British Columbia and Alaska) and off the coast of Japan. They eat fish and shellfish, and go through most of their lives without leaving the ocean. You will almost certainly not see a healthy wild one on land. If you ever do, it will not be further inland than the beach. (And if you think you have seen one inland off the beach, it's a river otter. Really. Even if you just watched it crawl out of the ocean. Because river otters do that ; )


The differences

Between a river otter and a beaver:

• Body shape: River otters have long, slender bodies, with conical rudder-like tails. Beavers are short, stocky, and have very distinctively flattened, leathery tails.
• How they swim: River otters are fast, agile swimmers, well suited to catching fish. Their movement patterns are often a little erratic, but when they are swimming at the water's surface they look like this:
 
Beavers are slow, powerful swimmers. They can move large branches and entire small trees through the water. Beavers do dive, but swim most often at the water's surface like this:

• How they move on land: North American River Otters usually run or bound on land. They do also walk (though not if they can help it ;) and, when the opportunity arises, slide. Their movements on land tend to be a little erratic, as they are in the water. 
 


Beavers tend to walk or shamble on land. They are not the fastest or most graceful critters on land, but they do move with determination to get where they are going.

 
• Behavior: River otters will live in rivers, lakes, streams, and any other body of water that is relatively undisturbed by humans. They can also be found fishing in the ocean, provided there is a source of fresh water nearby in which they can wash off. They are very playful, and will turn most activities into a game, whether they are by themselves or with a group (social and hunting groups are usually 2-4 otters). Otters are very sensitive to pollution and certain types of human activities, so they tend to stay far away from areas that are densely inhabited by people. Beavers tend to live in lakes, ponds, or creeks (large drainage ditches are also popular). They don't care much about proximity to people, and are often found building dams and lodges in places that are highly inconvenient for city planners. They prefer to build their lodges in slow moving or still water, and will create slow moving water if it is not readily available, which brings us to dams. There are a couple of reasons that beavers build dams: Dams cause bodies of water to flood, creating ponds and wetlands. Beavers move much better in water than they do on land, so flooding makes it easier and safer (because other critters can't get to them) for them to get to food trees, and to get to and move "lumber" trees. The water surrounding the lodge also protects it from most predators. 

Between a river otter and a sea otter:

• Body shape: River otters and sea otters are similar in length, but the sea otter weighs about 2 1/2 times as much as the river otter. As you can probably guess from this, the sea otter is much stockier than the river otter. Both otters have the distinctive torpedo shape, but the sea otter is a much thicker torpedo! Its forelimbs are shorter than those of the river otters, and its back feet more closely resemble the flippers of a seal or sea lion.
• Coloration: Sea otters are a dark, grey brown and cream color. Mature sea otters have cream colored heads and chests. River otters tend to be a more chocolatey brown, and have a cream colored patch that runs from the throat all the way down the belly.
• Swimming above water: At the surface, river otters generally swim facing forward, with their heads and sometimes upper backs the only part of them visible above water. Sea otters do not tend to swim from one place to another at the water's surface, though they do spend a lot of time there. Since sea otters are marine organisms, they are more specifically adapted for life in the water than are other otter species. At the water's surface, sea otters float on their backs with their heads, tummies, and feet sticking out of the water (just like the classic sea otter photos!).
• Swimming underwater: Sea otters use their tails and their "flippers" to push them through the water with an undulating motion. They don't use their front feet to swim, or most of the time even to steer. If you've ever been snorkeling, it's a lot like swimming in flippers.

.......And you saw how river otters swim in the section above. They swim with a similar undulating motion to the sea otters, but they are more prone to sudden changes in direction and must use their front feet to steer.

• How they move on land: For all intents and purposes, wild sea otters don't! On the occasion of very bad storms, or at zoos, sea otters are a little awkward on land:

(okay, a lot awkward on land ;) ). Sea otters are very much adapted to life in the water, and as there are tradeoffs with everything, they are not so good at the whole land thing. Again, if you see an otter crawling out of the ocean and heading up the beach into the woods, it's not a sea otter!


If you encounter a critter and you're not sure what it is, tell us about it below and we'll see if we can help you identify it!

Otter Species ~> Sea Otter

Sea Otter

Size: From nose to tail, the Sea Otter is 27 to 64 inches long. The tail is 5 to 13 inches long.
Color: The sea otter's body is brown, with a light tan head, cheeks, and throat, and an even lighter belly.
Nose: Aspen leaf shaped. Females have a pink scar on their noses after mating.
Feet: Sea otters have strong, but very small, forepaws. The rear paws are so elongated and webbed that they are like flippers. The claws are semi-retractable.
 Hair: Very thick, silky, and sleek. The guardhairs are 1.3 to 1.4 inches long, and the underhairs are about 0.7 inches long.
Track/Sign: N/A

Food: Clams, mussels sea urchins, crabs, octopi, abalone. They do not tend to eat fish, though they certainly will if the opportunity arises (sea otters aren't the fastest critters ever).
Conservation Status: Endangered


Sea Otters are found primarily on the Pacific coast of North America. Some are also found on the coast of Russia and Japan. They live in and near kelp beds, which they rely on for both food and shelter. Most of their prey organisms feed on kelp or on other organisms that feed on kelp, and the kelp forests are a challenging habitat for large predators like Orcas. Sea Otters also use kelp beds literally as "beds". One of the unique challenges of living in the ocean is that it's always moving. To avoid drifting away from each other and their habitat, they often wrap themselves in kelp, which is sturdily anchored to the sea floor, before taking a nap.

Oil pollution is one of the primary threats to Sea Otters. Sea Otters are very sensitive to pollution. As well as being toxic if ingested, oil makes it impossible for them to keep their fur clean. Air bubbles trapped in their fur keep the otters from ever actually getting wet, allowing them to stay warm without the thick blubber layer that most marine mammals require. The oil forces the air bubbles out of the otters' fur and mats the fur to their bodies, eventually causing oiled otters to die of hypothermia. Fishing nets and the spread of infectious disease are also major threats to Sea Otters.

Sea Otters are also among the increasing number of animals known to use tools. They primarily eat shellfish, which are notoriously difficult to get into. Sea Otters get around this problem by taking a rock from the sea floor (some otters even have a favorite rock that they keep track of!) and using it to open the shellfish. An otter will place a rock on its stomach, and bash a clam or other shellfish on the rock until the shell is broken enough that they can eat the clam out of it. Otters also use rocks to bash abalone off of surfaces they are attached to on the sea floor. It's not surprising that some Sea Otters have favorite rocks, because every day they have to collect and eat enough shellfish to add up to 30% of their body weight. For the average otter, that's about 20 pounds of food per day! That's a lot of clams!

Otter Species ~> North American River Otter

North American River Otter

Oscar, Kewanee, IL. Ph: Chiara DeNeve

Size: From nose to tail, the North American River Otter is 39 to 60 inches long. The tail alone is 12-14 inches long.
Color: This otter is very dark in color. They have a brown to red back, with lighter cheeks and throat (not demarcated though), and an even lighter belly.
Nose: Diamond shaped, the nostrils are in the lower 1/2 and outer 1/4 of the nose.
Feet: The feet are very strong, with strong claws and webbing.
 Hair: Very thick and sleek. The guardhairs are 0.7 to 0.8 inches long, and the underhairs are 8 to 9 mm long.
Track/Sign: North American river otters scent- and scat- mark their territory.


Food: Fish, molluscs, crustaceans, small reptiles, amphibians, birds, insects
Conservation Status: Least Concern


The North American River Otter is doing extremely well in most of the United States. In fact, it is probably the most numerous of all otter species. They can be found almost everywhere that there is water in North America, including coastal areas. The primary threat to these otters is water pollution and habitat degradation. These otters are highly adaptable to different types of habitats, but are very sensitive to pollution and changes in water quality. They don't tend to live in places of human habitation (though there are some exceptions, I have heard of people having trouble with otters trying to den under their decks!).



North American River Otters are extremely playful, turning almost all regular activities into a game. They often create slides into the water in areas that they visit frequently. They are also very social animals. They don't tend to live in groups (except for females with pups), but they do form social and hunting groups with other otters living nearby. North American River Otters often prefer to live alone, but do not do well alone for long periods of time and will seek out the company of other otters.

Fossils of this species date back to the Pleistocene, and archaeological remains of them have been found as far back as 200 BP!


For more information, visit OtterQuest's North Amercian River Otter page!

Heifer International

Here's a shameless plug just in time for the holidays! It's for an organization that we really like: Heifer Project International. They're a great organization, and donations to Heifer Project make wonderful gifts. Check it out!

        http://www.heifer.org/

A short quote from Heifer International's web site:

"Moved by the plight of orphans and refugees of the Spanish Civil War as he ladled out meager rations of powdered milk, Dan West, an Indiana farmer, volunteer relief worker and Church of the Brethren member, grasped that the people needed "a cow, not a cup"—cows that could produce milk so families would not have to depend on temporary aid. From that simple idea, Heifer International was born.

In 1944, the first cows sent abroad were donated by West's neighbors and distributed throughout Europe following World War II. More than 67 years later, Heifer has expanded its mission, just as it expanded to 30 types of animals it now provides—from goats, geese and guinea pigs to bees, silkworms and water buffalo."

When you donate to the Heifer Project, you are effectively buying an animal (anything from ducks or bees to cattle and camels) that will be sent to a family in need, living in a community in need. The animal provides a "hand up instead of a hand out", and if/when it reproduces, this animal's offspring are given to other member of the community in need, spreading the wealth and ultimately reaching the entire community.

Halloween River Otters! (habitat enrichment vid)

Have an otterly amazing Halloween! ; )

Seattle Aquarium River Otters having some Halloween fun!

Environmental enrichment is the alteration of an animal's environment (habitat) in a way to make it more stimulating (or complex) to that animal. This technique is used to improve the health and well-being of captive animals. Zoos and aquaria use this technique to help to conserve the animal in it's entirety, behaviorally as well as genetically.

See Enrichment for more info!