River Otter

Size

Otters have long, slim bodies and relatively short limbs, with webbed paws. Most have sharp claws on their feet, and all except the sea otter have long muscular tails. The twelve species range in adult size from 0.7 to 1.8 meters (2 to 6 feet) in length and 5 to 45 kilograms (10 to 100 pounds) in weight.

Food

For most otters, fish is the primary staple of their diet. This is often supplemented by frogs, crayfish and crabs^. Some otters are expert at opening shellfish, and others will feed on available small mammals or birds. Prey-dependence leaves otters very vulnerable to prey depletion.

Habitation

River otters are well adapted to a number of habitats. The main requirement is water, whether it be a mountain lake, a woodland river, or a small pond. They prefer clean, slow moving water with lots of fish. Proper cover is also essential to otters. Their habitat must include some kind of shelter. This could be in the form of a hollow log or tree trunk, a rock pile, a log jam, or the den of another animal. They’ve also been known to inhabit old boathouses and duck blinds. Streams and rivers seem to be more favorable, as they tend to have more cover and less human disturbance than lakes and ponds.