16 Playful Facts About Otters | Mental Floss They communicate with each other using a variety of vocalizations, including whistles, growls, and chirps. Otters have webbed feet and claws - for swimming underwater. They are the Asian small-clawed otter, African clawless otter, and Congo clawless otter. Carnivore. Nope, they are horrific menaces to other species. Otter disappearance is evidence of pollutants, habitat fragmentation, or loss of prey due to habitat destruction. Despite their innocent appearance, these animals are known for doing pretty disturbing stuff. Thirteen otter species slide down riverbanks, juggle rocks, and float on their backs in watersheds on five continents. At six months, the pups are released back into the wild with generally strong results. Source: 14 Fascinating, Super-Disturbing Facts About The Human Body. Otters also excrete something called anal jelly that contains secretions from anal glands and shed intestinal linings. Playfulness does disappear, though, when food is scarce. Powerful tails propel them through the water. 29 . Tags Asian Small-clawed Otter (Aonyx cinereus) - Native to South China and India, and Southeast . And since otters have superb metabolisms and can easily eat up to 15 percent of their body weight each day, there's a lot of spraint to go around. But few species are violent in quite as disturbing a way as the otter. In 2001, a female otter at the Monterey Bay Aquarium gave birth to a stillborn pup on the same day a stranded pup was discovered in the wild nearby. They involve the reintroduction of captive-bred adult otters into carefully selected and monitored habitats that offer suitable conditions such as prey availability, the presence of suitable dens for accommodation, predator presence, and levels of toxic pollutants. The sea otter and pup rolled violently in the water for approximately 15 min, while the pup struggled to free itself from the sea otters grasp. One of the most disturbing facts about otters is their status on the endangered species act list. These adorable aquatic mammals are clever, chatty, and oddly aromatic. Creepiest Pokmon: The 10 most disturbing of all time Rape or, as biologists usually call it, "forced copulation" is a disturbing fact of life in the animal kingdom. They eat up to 9 pounds of food in a day and their sharp teeth and powerful tail let them swim fast when they are hunting and can even confront caiman or other enormous Amazon creatures if the need arises. Cute Otters - 10 Facts about the Otter for Kids! - YouTube Unfortunately the number of tea-trees is diminishing. The male of this species tends to be larger than the females. Kerlin, Kat. Otters can hold their breath for 3-4 minutes, closing their nostrils and ears to keep out water. Most are small, with short ears and noses, elongated bodies, long tails, and. Only one otter species seems to be thriving, and that's the North American River Otter. When a pup is small, the mother will hold it on her belly to keep it from floating away. These furry creatures eat meat, such as fish, frogs, birds, and even mammals. Sea otters are members of the family Mustelidae which includes other animals like badgers and weasels. Description of the River Otter. Sea otters have an ingenious method to open shellfish. From their aggressive behavior to their complex social structures and potential impacts on ecosystems, these fascinating creatures demonstrate that the natural world is full of surprises, both delightful and disturbing. Size: Head and body: 21.75 to 31.5 inches; tail: 11.75 to 19.75 inches. Unmasking the Dark Side of Otters: Surprising and Disturbing Facts. "Whats Killing Sea Otters? Rats invaded paradise. The behavior doesn't stop when the seals die from the trauma. The World Conservation Union (IUCN) lists the Otariidae family as Near Threatened, indicating that their global population is declining steadily but action needs to be taken before this species becomes endangered. 1. The other 12 otter species were recently identified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as having decreasing populations, and five otter species are already on the endangered list. We accept credit card, Apple Pay, and Link, Russell. These injuries can be so deep that they result in the females death. These otters have brown-to-gray fur, and their undersides are a lighter, silvery . The Surprising Emotional Life of Frogs, The Ultimate Guide to Sea Urchin Taste: What to Expect and, The Mysterious Nose Scars of Female Sea Otters: Exploring. Pennsylvania Game Commission. Please enter a valid email and try again. Some otters even die after intercourse from trauma. To prevent these conflicts, it is important to avoid approaching them or their dens, particularly during breeding season when they may be more aggressive. In many places, it is illegal to keep them as pets due to their protected status and potential danger to humans. That makes it about a thousand times more dense than human hair. Lets end this on a somewhat less disturbing note! Therefore, sea otters are obsessive about keeping their fur clean, and groom themselves . Otter | Habitat & Facts | Britannica Support our mission and help keep Vox free for all by making a financial contribution to Vox today. They will also use hollows under trees or old rabbit holes. A property owner or the owner's immediate family, employee, or tenant may kill or trap a river otter on that property if it is damaging crops or domestic animals (RCW 77.36.030). Zoroastrians would also hold ceremonies for otters found dead in the wild. International Otter Survival Fund. While this predatory behavior is a natural part of their existence, it can sometimes have detrimental effects on their ecosystems. 42 Horrifying Human Body Facts We Wish We Never Learned newsletter, the fight against catastrophic climate change. Do Otters Have Webbed Feet? Generally, a group of otters on land will go by a romp, while a group hanging in the water is called a raft. This impact on fisheries can be particularly significant in areas with already vulnerable fish populations, where otters predation can further destabilize the ecosystem. Males, in particular, are known to take a female otters food by threatening to kill her baby. Because of their high metabolic rates, as was already mentioned, these creatures require a lot of food and will use whatever methods are needed to get it. Here's just one: A weaned harbor seal pup was resting onshore when an untagged male sea otter approached it, grasped it with its teeth and forepaws, bit it on the nose, and flipped it over. Their small heads widen to long necks and shoulders, and they have flattened, well-muscled tails. "North American River Otter (Lontra canadensis): A Technical Conservation Assessment." Prey shortages are very damaging due to high caloric needs. Some cultures even forbid eating the creatures and were offended when colonial Europeans began hunting the river otters and selling their furs. Source: Scientific Reasons for B.S Things Our Bodies Do. "River Otter, Wildlife Note." Female otters are sows, and males are boars. Here's how biologists Heidi Pearson and Randall Davis describe it: A male approached a pup floating on the surface while its mother was diving for food. Scientists Pinpoint Parasite Strain." They provide full-time care for their babies for six to eight months, until the babies can survive independently. They have webbed feet and the ability to close their nose and ears underwater.Twelve out of thirteen otter species are in decline. Do you think that seals are the only species that otters enjoy using? While rare, injuries to humans caused by them can occur, highlighting the importance of respecting these wild animals and maintaining a safe distance. Mating with other species is an unusual and disturbing behavior observed in some otters, particularly sea otters. All. The lifespan varies depending on the species and region. Sea otters are also among the most ravenous animals. It's been reported in primates like orangutans and chimpanzees, bottlenose dolphins, and ducks, among many other species. Fun Otter Facts For Kids | Kidadl Once thought to be gone from the area completely, southern sea ottersknown as California sea ottershave been making a comeback in recent years. The otters, which need to consume 25 percent to 35 percent of their body weight every day in order to maintain their metabolism and keep themselves warm in the cool waters, are divided into three "dietary guilds": Deep-diving otters that dine on abalone, urchins, and Dungeness crab; medium divers who subsist on clams, worms, and smaller shellfish; and those that stay in shallower waters, feeding on black snails.