Amazing otter facts There are 13 species of otter in total, ranging from the small-clawed otter, native to South and Southeast Asia, to the giant otter, which lives only in the rivers and creeks of the Amazon, Orinoco, and La Plata rivers in South America.
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The Asian small-clawed otter is the smallest otter species and the giant otter and sea otter are the largest. They have very soft, insulated underfur, which is protected by an outer layer of long guard hairs. This traps a layer of air which keeps them dry, warm, and somewhat buoyant under water.
Otter, any of 13 species of semiaquatic mammals that belong to the weasel family and are noted for their playfulness. The otter has a lithe and slender body with short legs, a strong neck, and a long flat tail that helps propel it gracefully through water. Two species are marine; the others live mostly in fresh water.
All otter species appear on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, and only one is listed as "least concern."
What are otters. Where & how long do they live. What do they eat. What eats them. Are they endangered. Learn their size, range, family, species, & mating with images.
Most otter species are nocturnal, except for the sea and giant otters, which remain active during the day. The clawless and river otters on the other hand are known to show both diurnal and nocturnal behavior.
The most widely distributed otter is the Eurasian otter, found throughout Europe, North Africa, and Asia to Japan and Indonesia. Typical otter habitat includes both water and land, except for the sea otter, which rarely comes ashore. Except for sea otters, otters live in dens, most made by other wildlife, such as beavers.