Sea otters have been known to stay submerged for more than 5 minutes at a time. In 2014, a study of giant otters found that the river-dwellers have 22 distinct noises they make for different situations. The face is broad, and the eyes protrude slightly. Several sets of strong whiskers are used by the animal in hunting and avoiding obstructions. River otters are smaller than their cousins, the sea otters. A family unit is made up of a female and her pups, with or without an adult male. Next time you’re exploring the rivers of Colorado, keep your eyes peeled for river otters. Otters are expert hunters. They have small eyes and ears and long tails. The dogs could usually drive out the otter without a fight. For years, river otters have been hunted for their fur, and their pelts are still an important source of income for many people in Canada. It makes its home in a burrow near the water's edge, and can thrive in river, lake, swamp, or … The increasing beaver population has also created habitat for otters. The otter’s celebrated return to Britain’s rivers isn’t welcomed by everybody. All otters have webbed feet to help propel them through the water, and most species have sharp claws. River Otters are often found in groups. They are occasionally killed unintentionally when they become entangled in fish nets or trapped in crab pots. Otters reach sexual maturity at 2 to 3 years of age. But this past summer, otters were spotted where they typically haven’t been seen before: in the San Marcos River. As recently as the mid-1980s, more than 30,000 pelts were harvested annually. Their vision is not especially good but may be better underwater than above. River Otters dive to depths of at least 60 feet (18 m) and can stay submerged for more than 4 minutes. Their small heads widen to long necks and shoulders, and they have flattened, well-muscled tails. The den is usually dug into the bank of a stream but can be an old beaver's lodge, muskrat house or hollow tree. We are not announcing a reopening date at this time and will provide updates on our websites and social media. Today, accidental trappings in beaver traps constitute the most otter fatalities. Young are born between April and May and arrive silky black, blind, toothless and totally helpless. Their dense, short under-fur is overlain by … These otters do have sharp teeth and if you're keeping otters you should be aware these wild animals can become aggressive if stressed. Their ears and noses have adapted to keep water out with valves that close when they are underwater. They remain as a family unit for seven to eight months or until the birth of a new litter. River otters are a fairly common sight along the coastlines of the Salish Sea. Mail: P. O. Because they are at the top of their food chain, they have few predators. By becoming a member, you'll help the Zoo save species and get great benefits for you and your family each time you visit! Otters can live and breed for more than 20 years. Delayed implantation (a period of arrested embryonic growth) accounts for this variation in the length of gestation. They may flatten and dig up the vegetation or snow over an area of several square yards. Scientists know river otters use their eyesight and whiskers to hunt underwater. We hope you will join us in this important work. When threatened or frightened, they emit a hair-raising scream that can be heard up to 1.5 miles (2.4 kilometers) across the water. They hunt singly or in pairs and although otters generally forage in water, they are equally at home on land, sometimes traveling between 10 and 18 miles (16 and 29 kilometers) in search of food. The river otter's eyes and ears are located high on its head for surface swimming. For the last 10 years, between about 1,200 and 2,400 otters have been harvested annually in Alaska for their pelts. Primarily visual predators, their eyes are shaped in a way that facilitates underwater vision and acuity. River otters are good communicators and have a variety of vocalizations. River otters as a whole look quite similar to weasels. Vision studies conducted on Asian small-clawed otters suggest that, in bright light, visual resolution is equally good in water and air; in dim light, resolution is better in air than in water. Despite their small size otters have large home ranges with territories reaching up to 100 square miles. An otter is muscular, streamlined and solidly built. An otter's tail is long and tapered, thickest where it joins the body and furred its entire length. They can run as fast as a man and on hard snow or ice reach speeds of more than 15 miles per hour (24 km/hr) by alternately running and sliding. Illustration: Unknown With the tail's strong, undulating movement, a river otter propels itself through the water as fast as 8 miles (13 kilometers) per hour and can easily dive to 36 feet (11 meters) or more. The pups are born toothless and blind in a den that is usually a subterranean burrow. River otters leave scent marks on vegetation within their home range. But could river otters rely on another sense? River otter could be considered somewhat of an aquatic generalist, as they consume almost anything they encounter and can catch. Their aquatic habitats can be both marine and fresh water: streams, rivers, lakes, ponds and marshes. The North American River Otter is a thickset mammal with short legs, a neck no smaller than its head, inconspicuous ears, and a muscular body that is broadest at the hips. It’s a truly wonderful story that made a whole generation of us love these animals. The otter's ears and nostrils close underwater. Don’t challenge otters to a breathholding competition. The tail is highly muscular and comprises up to 40 percent of the otter's total body length. The male otter is generally chased away until the young are weaned and old enough to leave the riverbank, at which time they may return and help raise the pups. They weigh about 4 to 6 ounces (113 to 170 grams) at birth and measure 8 to 11 inches (20 to 28 centimeters). River otter sightings have occurred annually for more than 10 years from Cedar Point south to Darby, Ohio, near Columbus. A Wilder View: A good time to see river otters in Montana. Otters are graceful swimmers and propel themselves in the water by paddling or vertically flexing their hindquarters and thick tails. North American river otters characteristically approach within a few feet of a boat or a person on shore because they're near-sighted, a consequence of vision adapted for underwater sight. River otter pups open their eyes at about one month, and most species first emerge from the den and begin to swim at two months. Scent marking is done by either urinating/defecating or by emitting a strong, musky odor from the paired scent glands near the base of the tail. You can be an incredible ally for conservation! Fighting among otters is extremely rare, although they are wary of strange individuals. River otters generally live alone or in small social groups. Their dense, short under-fur is overlain by darker, coarse guard hairs that help repel water. Females are roughly one-third the size of males. Tune in any hour to see Xiao Ji Qi on our Panda Cam and support giant pandas today! The oldest living river otter on record was 27 years old. Mating can take place in or out of the water. Even when our gates are closed, we are still here, working as always to save species. North American river otters, also called Canadian otters, have long, muscular, streamlined bodies with short legs and fully webbed feet bearing non-retractable claws. Cute and curious, we have a pretty good idea of what they eat, how they behave, and what role they place in the near shore ecosystem. But our local species is on the rebound. Along the southern shore of western Lake Erie, not only have they been seen in Cedar Point, but Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge located just 15 miles east of Toledo, Magee Marsh Wildlife Area and the Toussaint River. An otter’s lung capacity is 2.5 times greater than that of similar-sized land mammals. River otters, however, can hold their breath for up to 8 minutes. You will also notice that they have long whiskers. That home range shrinks drastically during breeding and rearing season. Their coats consist of two kinds of fur – a dense, short, oily underfur and long, shiny guardhairs. Educational Activities You Can Do at Home, About the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Your Go-to Guide for a Winter Day at the Zoo, #PandaStory: Venturing Where the Sidewalk Ends. Scats, twisted tufts of grass, and small piles of dirt and vegetation are commonly found in such areas. North American river otters have transparent nictitating membranes to protect their eyes … Sea otters even have retractable claws on their front feet, which keeps them particularly sharp. Urine and scent deposited on these piles serve as âscent postsâ that are used for communication and territorial marking. They do not fall under the same laws because they are not technically ‘marine mammals’. They prefer unpolluted water with a minimal human disturbance. At this point, they eat solid food but are not completely weaned for another month or two. An extremely adaptable animal, otters tolerate hot and cold climates, as well as high elevations and lowland coastal waters. It is encouraging to note that with these conservation programs, regulations on trapping and the improvement of water quality, the river otters are finally making a comeback in certain wetland areas.
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