Otters - Diet, Play, Sea Otter, River Otters, Clawless Otters, Giant Otter, Human Impact On Otters
lutrinae water short adapted
Otters are small to medium-sized mammals with a long body, flattened head, broad muzzle, and long stiff whiskers. Their tail is strong, long, flattened, and somewhat tapered. Otters have short legs and webbed toes; they are well adapted to a semi-aquatic existence and are skilled swimmers. The outer fur of otters is short, very dense, and highly water resistant. They also have a layer of soft underfur that traps an insulating layer of air and helps them stay warm when in the water. Otters are carnivores and have teeth adapted either to eating fish or to crushing the shells of crustaceans, depending on the diet of the species. The ears of otters are small and can close when swimming (with the help of special muscles), while their hearing is good. Their eyes are small but their sight is good due to special lenses that help them see clearly underwater. Male otters are about 28% larger than females.
Otters are members of the weasel family, Mustelidae. There are five subfamilies within this family: weasels, minks, and polecats (Mustelinae); skunks (Mephitinae); badgers (Melinae); honey badgers (Mellivorinae); and otters (Lutrinae). The Lutrinae subfamily includes six genera: sea otters, river otters, clawless otters, giant otters, and two genera of small-clawed otters. There are 18 species, with about 63 subspecies (depending on the taxonomic treatment).
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The sea otter (Enhydra lutris) measures up to 4 ft (1.3 m) long with a 12 in (30.5 cm) tail. Sea otters are common on rocky coastlines and islands on both sides of the North Pacific Ocean, from Japan north to the Aleutian Islands and south to the coast of California. Sea otters spend almost all of their lives at sea and are the only mustelids able to do so. While they are in the water, they usuall…
There are 11 species of river otter, including the Eurasian river otter (Lutra lutra), the North American
A mated pair of sea otters, male (left) and female (right). Photograph by Tom McHugh. Photo Researchers, Inc. Reproduced by permission.
river otter (Lutra canadensis), the southern river otter (Lutra provocax), and the smooth otter (Lutra perspicillata). Often confused with European …
There are three species of clawless otter in the genus Aonyx—two are found in Africa and one in Asia. Otters in this genus differ from river otters and the giant otter in having much smaller claws and in having webbing on their feet that is either absent or does not extend to the ends of their toes. The Asian small-clawed otter (Aonyx cinerea) is the world's smallest otter, measuring…
Otters have been hunted by humans for centuries for their soft, thick fur and because they have been viewed as competitors for fish. Trade in otter fur was once very active, but the hunting of otters for their fur has declined in recent years, due both to the decline in otter populations (especially species of river otter) and the passage of laws protecting otters. The best otter pelts are reporte…
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