Any burrow or den taken over by these animals is called a holt. A primary food source for the bears is fish, and they spend a lot of time hunting salmon, trout, and bass. The playfulness of otters is mostly … They seem to do this for fun, but it is also a way to conserve energy as they are moving through their territory. As a member of the Mustelidae family, it's kin to weasels, badgers, ferrets and mink. They will even slide … How Fast Can an Elephant Seal Move on Land? 1/3. Grizzly bears live in northern North America, including Alaska, Washington, and Montana in the United States. Scientists purport that otters have been on Earth for more than 30 million years. River otters use openings in the ice, and will sometimes even break through beaver dams, to gain access to rivers and other waters. In warmer weather, otters spend time in sociable pursuits. An adult North American river otter can weigh between 5.0 and 14 kg (11.0 and 30.9 lb). It makes its home in a burrow near the water's edge, and can thrive in river, lake, swamp, or estuary ecosystems. These otters are vocal, having basic calls of greeting, alarm and mating, and up to 12 further calls. Do otters migrate or hibernate? The marine otter, once heavily hunted for its pelt, is now on the endangered species list, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Activity is greatest at night, but where wolverines are relatively common, sighting a wolverine during daylight hours might be expected. They store branches of trees underwater, sticking the chewed bases into the mud next to their lodges, (check out a photo here). Otters have their cubs in underground burrows, known as 'holts'. You’ll see that these amazing animals each take on the cold temperatures, harsh weather, and limited food supplies in their own special way. Looking to get through winter. North American River Otters are large compared to most other semi-aquatic mammals, and adults can be as long as 5 feet and weigh more than 30 pounds. Otter, any of 13–14 species of semiaquatic mammals that belong to the weasel family and are noted for their playfulness. Especially if you have a fish pond in your garden, it is going to attract a lot of attention from the otters. Diet. River otters possess long, muscular bodies suited to their life on both land and in water. Otter Dens. The embryos do not begin development until about eight months later, and 50 days after that, the young are born. They will, however, eat crabs, birds, crayfish, frogs and even lizards. Though some fish become sluggish, brown trout face relatively few changes. The Tundra Swan is a large, white waterfowl with a dark beak and dark legs that lives in North America. The river otter is protected and insulated by a thick, water-repellent coat of fur. Log in or sign up to leave a comment Log In Sign Up. Do you know how else river otters differ from their sea otter cousins? Due to having large lungs and being able to slow down their heartbeat, otters can … nsfw. Its feet are webbed. It has a long tail that is thick at the base, tapers toward the tip and grows to 12 to 19 inches in length. Be Her Village. River otters eat a variety of aquatic wildlife, such as fish, crayfish, crabs, frogs, birds’ eggs, birds and reptiles such as turtles. It has a wide, rounded head with small ears and long, white whiskers. The cubs will remain with the parents through the first winter, but separate the next spring. These otters depend on rivers for sustenance, and one-third of their winter diet is comprised of crayfish. Join more than 180,000 amazing people who stay up to date on news and ways they can help protect our rivers. Wolverines do not hibernate, but may be inactive during inclement weather. River otters feed mostly on fish but will also eat frogs, crabs, crayfish, and small mammals such as young muskrats. Their fur is thick a… © 2021 WILD SKY MEDIA. Tweet. What Is the Difference Between Otters & Beavers. Otters are carnivores and primarily eat fish. As a member of the Mustelidae family, it's kin to weasels, badgers, ferrets and mink. Besides hunters, otters' food sources are often compromised by fishermen depleting their supply. The elusive otter is one of our top predators, feeding mainly on fish (particularly eels and salmonids), waterbirds, amphibians and crustaceans. River otters belong to the weasel family. Empower Her. Because food is hard to find in the winter months, especially when the water is frozen over and hinders their travel, beavers stock up in the fall before the cold hits. Otters survive the winter by changing their behavior and taking advantage of their incredible fur. Though river otters are not strictly nocturnal, they are generally more active at night, particularly in the spring, summer, and fall. All mammals hibernate. They are primarily nocturnal, but become more diurnal in winter, meaning they are active during the day and sleep at night. According to Defenders of Wildlife, otters have the densest fur in the animal kingdom. The otter may even try to fish for food in your ornamental fish pond. Otters are part of the Mustelidae family, which is a family of carnivorous mammals that includes skunks, weasels, wolverines and badgers. hide. River otters are smaller than their cousins, the sea otters. Kay Curtis began writing professionally in 1988. Their thick fur is both water-repellent and an effective insulator against temperature extremes. An adult weighs 12 to 20 pounds, which includes a 12- to 20-inch tail. The embryos do not begin development until about eight months later, and 50 days after that, the young are born. During the summer, the swans inhabit shallow ponds, lakes, and rivers in northern Canada. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Giant otters are the largest of any otter in the world growing up to 1.8m. Most are dark brown in color, with lighter patches on their throats and chests. 1101 14th Street NW, Suite 1400 Washington, DC 20005 | Phone: ©2019 American Rivers, All Rights Reserved. After a few bumps, they can slide up to 22 feet on the ice. Show your support for protecting portions of the Gila and San Francisco rivers as Wild and Scenic. Like most wildlife, otters may be hostile when confronted. In order to survive the harsh northern winters, bears need to eat 90 pounds of salmon—or 25 fish—per day, so grizzlies, despite being solitary creatures, will often congregate around streams, lakes, rivers, and ponds during spawning season. Otters around the world have faced centuries of decline due to hunting, trapping, and habitat loss. Feeding. The North American beaver is a large, semi-aquatic rodent. Price often has little to do with supply but rather is generally dictated by fashion. North American river otters do not generally handle prey of a large size relative to themselves but there are occasions where they've been observed ambushing and killing adult common snapping turtles while the large turtles (which are roughly equal in average body weight to … Shape The World. 100% Upvoted. Their toes are webbed, they have short legs and they boast a tapered tail ranging up to 15 inches long. Their sensory perception combined with retractable claws and quick reflexes, make otters master hunters in shallow waters. Aquatic plants, mollusks, and arthropods help comprise the Tundra Swan’s diet, showing how much they rely on rivers, and with many migratory birds staying in the northern U.S., it is clear that they remain comfortable in cold winter weather. Discover their quirks, unique habits, and when and where you might be able to spot one in the wild! So you do not need to be surprised to find an otter or two inspecting your lawn or your garden one fine day. Otters eat 15 to 25 percent of their body weight each day and can spend up to five hours fishing for food. River otters do not construct their own dens but instead rely on logjams, beaver lodges, the bank dens of beaver and muskrat, and natural features, such as cavities in tree roots, undercut banks, and fallen timber, for their den sites. save. Otters also have particularly stinky poop, which even has its own name: spraints. The dens have entrances underwater so they can be easily accessed from the water. Be the first to share what you think! Otter populations in most Southeastern states support a regulated harvest. This small (3–6 kg [6.6–13.2 pounds]) otter occurs on the Pacific coast from Peru through Chile and Tierra del Fuego in Argentina. Otters do not store food for winter, nor do they hibernate. share. Otters are nocturnal and spend their days sunbathing, becoming active at night. They preen or comb each other's fur, frolic in the water, teach the young cubs to swim, toss bits of food to each other, dive to retrieve food in the water, and slide down stream banks. These otters have brown-to-gray fur, and their undersides are a lighter, silvery shade. Otters have been known to show characteristics of human behavior, such as holding hands. What is the 5,000 Miles of Wild Campaign? According to Defenders of Wildlife, otters have the densest fur in the animal kingdom. When winter comes, they migrate south into the United States and northern Mexico, living in grasslands and marshlands in the Northwest/Pacific, Northern Rockies, California, Southwest, Southeast, and Mid-Atlantic regions. In warmer weather, otters spend time in sociable pursuits. Photo by Andrea Westmoreland Many otters prefer living in lakes and ponds and areas where humans live because there they may get a constant supply of food. Otters are very playful: Don’t be surprised when you see otters happily sliding. They are primarily nocturnal, but become more diurnal in winter, meaning they are active during the day and sleep at night. Otters have some interesting relatives. They preen or comb each other's fur, frolic in the water, teach the young cubs to swim, toss bits of food to each other, dive to retrieve food in the water, and slide down stream banks. The pests can grow up to 4 feet long and weigh up to 30 pounds. Their dense, short under-fur is overlain by darker, coarse guard hairs that help repel water. The marine otter is really a freshwater otter that has learned to occupy marine environments in South America. The otter is lithe and slender with short legs, a strong neck, and a long flat tail that helps propel it gracefully through water. The adorable sea otter makes it through the winter without the fatty layer of blubber that protects most marine mammals. Despite this, brown trout, as well as lake trout and whitefish, have adapted to allow themselves to remain active throughout the winter months. Curtis has a Bachelor of Science in journalism from Texas A&M University. As we celebrate the last part of the winter season, we wanted to take a look at how different wildlife found in and around our rivers adapt to the unique season. However, their habits change slightly when winter comes. PART OF WILD SKY MEDIA | FAMILY & PARENTING, International Union for Conservation of Nature. What Kind of Animal Eats Erect-crested Penguins? River otter dens are along the water in abandoned burrows or empty hollows. As the name suggests, the giant otter is the world's largest otter species and is well-known from wildlife documentaries. As fashions change, so do the demand and harvest effort for otters. Otters are semi-aquatic animals that do not hibernate. Hibernation is a voluntary state an animal enters to conserve energy, when food is scarce, and minimize exposure to the winter elements. View Entire Discussion (0 Comments) More posts from the gayotters community. In the winter, otters have found the easiest and perhaps most fun way to get around is by sliding. It is mostly solitary, and only rarely do … It’s one of the things … Do otters hibernate? 0 comments. Its throat and belly are golden or silvery brown. Food. Which of the following is a cardholder responcibility in the governmentwide commercial purchase card program; The Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra), also known as the European otter, Eurasian river otter, common otter, and Old World otter, is a semiaquatic mammal native to Eurasia.The most widely distributed member of the otter subfamily (Lutrinae) of the weasel family (Mustelidae), it is found in the waterways and coasts of Europe, many parts of Asia, and parts of northern Africa. Yet unlike some of its cousins, the otter does not hiberate. They prefer living near wetlands or woods for protection and safety from predators. Currently, otters have one the most valuable pelts of all of our furbearing species. Just so you know, they hibernate to the South where it is warmer. The otter is one of the most beloved semi-aquatic mammals with its playful gestures and cute appearance. The European otter, a semi-aquatic species, lives along coasts and in a wide variety of freshwater habitats. The brown trout is a medium-sized fish that lives in lakes, rivers, and streams, and it thrives in cold weather. North American river otters are semiaquatic mammals that do not hibernate when winter comes around. They breathe on the surface of open water, in their dens or from air pockets lodged against the underside of the ice. North American river otters, also called Canadian otters, have long, muscular, streamlined bodies with short legs and fully webbed feet bearing non-retractable claws. Otters can transmit rabies to humans and pets. Her news articles and columns have appeared in "The Battalion," "The Lakeshore Times" and "The Beacon." It is the otter species with the widest distribution, being spread widely across Europe. Bobcats, alligators, coyotes, raptors, and other large predators will sometimes prey on North American river otters. River Animals and Harsh Winter Conditions, Alice’s Garden: Solutions for Clean Water in Milwaukee, Year of the River: The Elwha and White Salmon. More on River Otters by Cindy Ross (see the article in the March/April 2014 issue) A member of the mustelid family, the river otter is closely related to the mink and weasel. Otters are slender, streamlined, and flexible, which serves them well for a life in underground tunnels, and waters often congested with floating debris and aquatic plants. While the region experienced some temperatures in the … The Otter is a mammal so it hibernates. Yet unlike some of its cousins, the otter does not hiberate.