Otters are carnivorous mammals in the subfamily Lutrinae.The 13 extant otter species are all semiaquatic, aquatic or marine, with diets based on fish and invertebrates.Lutrinae is a branch of the Mustelidae family, which also includes weasels, badgers, mink, and wolverines, among other animals. A cat parasite called toxoplasmosis also poses a threat to these creatures. More information: Northern River Otter - Animal Diversity Web They have visible ears, swim belly down, use webbed feet to paddle, and move swiftly on land and water. It can be found in the sub-Saharan Africa (except in the Congo). This makes up for its lack of blubber in the cold Pacific water. This series of images taken at the Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan in Osaka, Japan is no exception. River Otters, Sea Otters, Giant Otters & Even Cute Baby Otters! Baby river otters, called kits, are born in the den. From shop boygirlparty. Young and old otters most often juggle rocks. Sea otters rape and drown baby seals! Only 3 available and it's in 11 people's carts. Most otter species come ashore to give birth in dens, which sometimes have been used by other animals such as beavers. Sea otters are commonly spotted on WWF’s Alaska tours. Males are larger in size than females (see photos). So, if nearly all of the otter species are vulnerable to extinction, you may … 5 out of 5 stars (15,297) 15,297 reviews $ 22.00. Forget everything you thought you knew about otter species. 1. Otter Central – Leading Source for Otter Videos, Otter Pictures, Otter Facts & More Their sleek bodies range in size from 2 to 5.9 feet. Baby Otter (Penguin Young Readers, Level 3) Paperback – September 17, 2009 by Ginjer L. Clarke (Author) › Visit Amazon's Ginjer L. Clarke Page. posted by stripesandplaid at 11:34 AM on August 5 . Male sea otters sometimes attack baby seals and attempt to mate with them, writes Brian Switek for Slate. Other otters give birth in dens.Otter babies are called pups. Otters have as many as 2.6 million hairs per square inch. Otter Central – Leading Source for Otter Videos, Otter Pictures, Otter Facts & More River otters perform "scat dances" by stomping their hind feet and lifting their tail. Instead, researchers learned, they are more likely to juggle rocks when hungry or bored. Here are some surprising yet cute facts about them. Usually, a single baby (called a pup) is produced following 4 to 5 months of pregnancy. The IUCN classifies North American river otter conservation status as "least concern." 1. You will learn about these and other interesting facts about the otter in this article. This density of wool does not allow the otters to get wet in the water. Can otters use tools? Not all otters use tools, but sea otters use them all the time. Giant Otter Facts, Habitat, Diet, Life Cycle, Baby, Pictures. Experts estimate that fewer than 8,000 exist. A female is pregnant for four to five months. Found in cat feces, it enters waterways through runoff and flushable cat litter. From shop SewLemony. Sea otters use a rock or hard object to break open shellfish or other food. She will give birth to one to five offspring, through usually only two babies are born at once. Otters are the only amphibious members of the weasel family. Each European otter within its territory of between 1 and 4 miles has fixed locations where it gets into and exits from the water, sunbathing, rolling and sliding about on "otter stairways". Mothers will continue to float on their backs, nurse their young and teach them to swim and hunt. Only the North American river otter is a species of least concern. Sea otter moms adopt orphaned sea otter babies and take care of them. Check out our range of fun otter facts for kids. Into adult otters appear on the open ocean enjoying themselves sliding around on banks. Demand leaves otter mothers depleted, and weight up to 5.6 feet snout... 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