Otters, The Playful Aquatic Mammals of Nature - World Deer (2024)

Otters are semi-aquatic mammals of nature and are known for their super swimming. They are very intelligent creatures. They hold each other’s hands and huddle to keep their body warm while sleeping. Otters look so adorable standing upside down in the water. People love them because of their intelligence, grace, and playful antics.

In the Lutrinae family, seven genera are present that comprise the 13 species of otters. The North American river otter is the most abundant species in its location and is rarely found in the wild. Asian small-clawed otters are the smallest species while Giant otters are the longest member of the mustelid and largest in number around the world.

Size: The species of otters are tube shaped and vary in different sizes depending on habitats and species. Their adults are 2 to 5.9 feet long from head to tail, and females are 3 to 5.9 feet long.

Weight: They weigh between 15 to 100 pounds. On average, large males weigh up to 40 kg, and female otters typically weigh between 11 to 70 pounds.

Speed: In water, otters swim at a speed of 8 miles per hour, while on land, they can run at a speed of 15 miles.

Dentition: Otters dentition is so strong. They are carnivorous animals and have the power to crack, crush, and chew hard-shelled animals, including mussels, crabs, and shellfish. They often crush and digest bones.

Body and tail: Otters’ anatomy is interesting. These animals are flexible and long in shape with muscular, streamlined, slim bodies and short limbs. They easily swim underwater with their webbed feet. Their tail helps them in swimming and comprises 40 percent of their total body length.

Fur and Coat coloration:

Otters’ upper coats range in color from dark brown and black to chocolate, but their inner coats look greyish and silver. They have a protective, thick fur which helps them in thermoregulation under cold water. Their body contains two kinds of furs: dense, soft fur and guard hairs. Guard hairs allow them to maintain their inner dense fur.

Otters are semi-aquatic mammals found in most of the world, including South and North America, Southeast Asia, and sub-Saharan Africa, except Antarctica and Australia. Eurasian otters are distributed among Asia, Europe, Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia. Sea otters are found in the Northern Pacific Ocean.

Habitat may vary from species to species. They live in water, seashores, and on coastal areas. They prefer to live in unpolluted water and enjoy both fresh and marine water. Giant otters live in America and the Amazon rainforest and also spend their time in kelp forests, rivers, and swamps.

Most otters are carnivorous mammals and eat aquatic animals including fish as a staple food, crabs, crayfish, and shellfish. Sea otters prey on sea urchins, birds, and small mammals. Sometimes, otters eat sea plants as food to maintain their metabolic rate.

River otters digest food within an hour. They consume 20 to 25% of food to maintain their high metabolic rate. After digestion, they defecate near rivers or water areas. Their feces, known as spraints, range in color from dark brown to black.They eat as much as they can and don’t face complexity in the absorption of food.

Hunting

Otters are the guardians of the river. They hunt for 4 to 5 hours each day. They are proficient hunters; that’s why they hunt under or out of water. River otters spend most of their time on land but swim underwater to capture prey by using thumbs, claws, and forepaws.

Social bonding

Otters are playful creatures. They tend to live single or in pairs. They socialize in groups to enjoy lax and leisure by rolling their bodies in mud and snow. They make their bonds strong and confined by scent marking or urination. Otters secrete scent glands on trees and rocks that can strengthen their social structures.

Camouflage

These semi-aquatic mammals maintain their camouflage with their surroundings. Their color ranges from black to brown, allowing them to blend with rocks or mud. Sea otters turn their backs to camouflage their bodies with kelp beds.

Communication

Otters produce different vocalizations, including growls, whistles, whines, and screams. Mothers and pups use particular sounds to identify each other. They chuckle when they feel happy and scream in trouble. Scent marking is another way of communication. They find their sprain through gland secretion.

As a skilled predator, they are crucial to maintain their habitat and ecosystem. They are known as keystone species. Otters especially consume sea urchins, invertebrates, and small grazing animals along the California coast.

They control the number of prey by their intelligence. They prevent water from the sea urchins and regulate fish and kelp populations. They are good indicators of maintaining water quality. As semi-aquatic mammals, they fall in the swimming category.

Male and female otters are called dogs and bitches respectively. Otters reproduce depending on their species. According to different studies, their breeding mostly occurs in the winter season. Approximately, female otters become sexually mature at two while males at three. Their gestation period is about 6 months. On average, they can give birth to two to four pups and weigh 4 to 6 ounces at a time.

Pups look silky black, toothless, and blind. Female otters are single mothers and raise their pups. Pups stay with their mother until they can swim and hunt. Sea otters nurse their pups for 6 to 8 months and carry them while floating.

The American otter mortality rate tends to be 12 years, while the rate is high among sea otters. It reaches up to 40 percent in juveniles in the first year of their life. The oldest living river otter was 27 years old.

Otters spend 21 years in water, while 8 to 9 years on the land. They live up to 16 years. In captivity, river otters can live for 20 years. Female sea otters can live longer than males.

According to the International Union of Conservation of Nature (IUCN),

Asian otters, giant sea otters, congo, and hairy-nosed otters are endangered, while smooth-coated otters are vulnerable. They are predators of kelp species which help to play a vital role in maintaining the ecosystem. The contamination of chemicals and spilled oils in water is a bigger threat to the lives of otters.

Now, there are 130,000 individuals of sea otters left. To conserve these mammals, there is a need to ban the hunting and stealing of otters for fur purposes. Water pollution results in the loss of habitat. We can secure their species by giving them a pure habitat. CITES and MMPA can tackle issues of extinction by protecting their areas and resolving human and otter conflict.

• The noses of giant and hairy otters are flat and covered with hairs.
• Otters dances while they poop.
• They are natural players and engage in different activities. They play with stones and make slides to roll their bodies.
• Opening shellfish with a rock is one of their unique features.
• Otters can dive in or stay underwater for up to eight minutes.
• Unlike other mammals, sea otters have a million hair follicles on their bodies.

Otters are adorable aquatic creatures and known for their cunning and playful nature. But they hold great importance in different cultures:

• In some American tribes, they are known for their strong bondings and unity.
• In some tribes, they are valuable for their fur.
• In Native American cultures, otters are considered as a symbol of fortune because of their kindness, friendship, and peace.
• In Korean folklore, otters serve as a symbol of loyalty and cleanliness.
• In Japanese mythology, it is believed that when they get old, they have superpowers through which they play tricks and reform the shapes.

On this page, you are invited to explore our articles about the fascinating behaviors of otters.

These articles answer common questions about otters, including their diet, social structures, swimming skills, and interactions with their environment and other species.

Scroll down to discover some of the unique traits of otters and understand why they behave the way they do.