Intergroup communication generally occurs in the form of scent marking. They hunt food by using their vibrissae to detect movements of prey in the water. They will also consume lizards and other items they can find on land when they need to. River otters prefer larger fish due to ease of capture; larger prey gives river otters more energy as well. In addition to fish and crayfish, river otters will … Otters are eaten by large predators, such as great white sharks, killer whales, bears, sea lions, eagles and coyotes, depending on their geographical location. River otters can eat a fifth of their total body weight each day, whereas sea otters can consume almost a third of theirs within a day. [16], Observations of wild Asian small-clawed otters revealed that they smear their spraint at latrine sites, using their hind feet and tails. They enjoy carp, sunfish, minnows, suckers, sculpin and salmonids such as trout and salmon. This means that river otters are actually near sighted. [25] They start exploring the environs of the breeding den at the age of ten weeks. [23] 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. Crayfish are the second most common prey of river otters. [27], The Asian small-clawed otter was listed on CITES Appendix II and is protected in almost all range countries prohibiting its killing. [22] Adult captive otters range in weight from 2.7 to 3.5 kg (6.0 to 7.7 lb). Captive otters swim at speeds of 0.7–1.2 m/s (2.3–3.9 ft/s). Volunteers and DEC staff live-trapped otter primarily in the Adirondacks (DEC Regions 5 and 6), but some otter from the Catskills and Hudson Valley (DEC Regions 3 … [15] These otters were placed in areas where the rangers knew they would find plenty of food and have the best chance for reproducing and growing their numbers. Otters are meat eaters. One of the more intriguing river otter facts is that these animals largely communicate using auditory and olfactory signals. When river otters are rubbing themselves and rolling around, they are simply drying their fur. Interval between births is at least eight months. Part II – Mammals", "Stronger International Regulations and Increased Enforcement Effort is needed to end the Illegal Trade in Otters in Asia", "CITES CoP 2019: Otters given highest protection from trade", "Ban on endangered otter trade to take effect amid pet boom in Japan", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Asian_small-clawed_otter&oldid=992346682, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. An adult North American river otter can weigh between 5.0 and 14 kg (11.0 and 30.9 lb). The muzzle has long coarse vibrissae on either side. Eurasian otters feed mainly on fish. Today, a population of at least 60 hybrid otters exist in Singapore. If an area is polluted, the river otter will move to a new place that isn’t tainted. The estrous cycle of females lasts 28 to 30 days with estrus lasting between one and 13 days. In the wild the otters eat primarily crustaceans and mollusks but will also eat fish, insects, amphibians and reptiles. Outside of fish, river otters will also eat crustaceans, insects, birds, oysters, shellfish, turtles and a number of other aquatic life. When and where available, it also catches snakes, frogs, insects, rats and rice field fish like catfish, Anabas testudineus and Channa striata. North American river otters get their boundless energy from their very high metabolism, which also requires that they eat a great deal during the day. River otters primarily feed on fish with the size ranges from 2 – 50 cm (0.79 – 20 inches) which is really necessary since fish is a great source for gaining calories. Your email address will not be published. These creatures inhabit a wide range of aquatic habitats. Newborn pups weigh between 45.6 and 62.5 g (1.61 and 2.20 oz) and reach a weight of 410–988 g (14.5–34.9 oz) after 60 days. This page was last edited on 4 December 2020, at 19:57. 40 Devils Tower Facts That Will Make You Want To Visit, 50 Interesting Carrot Facts That You Never Knew About, 100 Interesting Facts That Will Boggle Your Mind, 300 Random Facts No One Knows What To Do With, 100 Nutrition Facts To An Easier And Healthier Lifestyle, 100 Amazing Facts That Will Blow Your Mind, 300 WTF Facts That Will Make You Question Everything, 300 Weird Facts That Will Confuse And Amaze You At The Same Time, 100 Did You Know Facts Most People Have Never Heard About, Weight: 11 to 31 pounds (5 to 14 kilograms), Length: 26 to 42 inches (66 to 107 centimeters), Lifespan: 8 to 9 years (21 years in captivity), Aquatic Predators: Alligator, American crocodile, killer whales, sharks, Terrestrial Predators: Coyote, bobcat, lynx, wolf, mountain lion, black bear, domestic dogs, Human-related Mortality: Trapping, illegal shooting, road kill, accidental captures, Conservation: Bioindicator in aquatic ecosystems, Location: River Otters Live on the Water’s Edge, Name: The “River Otter” Actually Lives in a Variety of Habitats, Habitat: River Otters Are Found in Aquatic Habitats throughout North America, Homes: River Otters Are Opportunistic When Selecting Dens, Anatomy: Physical Adaptations Make River Otters Aquatic Masters, River Otters Are Near-Sighted but Can See Well Underwater, River Otters May Be Marine Animals but They Are Also Night Owls, River Otters’ Play Teaches Them Survival Skills, Does Something Smell Fishy? The river otter had almost been moved out of the Smokies altogether and then in the early 1990s, the Park Service began to reintroduce otters to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. [19] It would be fair to assume that river otters are exclusively found on river banks. In western Java, it inhabits areas along slow-flowing irrigation channels, pond areas and rice fields surrounded by vegetation that offers shelter. They seem to prefer games such as wrestling and chasing. Length of skull ranges from 3.3 to 3.7 in (84 to 94 mm). It does not have upper premolars and only four postcanine teeth above. This species is a member of the otter subfamily (Lutrinae) of the weasel family (Mustelidae), and is the smallest otter species in the world. However, these whales find Otters to be a great meal. Their eyes are protected while they are swimming thanks to transparent nictitating membranes, which act like swimming goggles. 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