Most of us could spend an entire day scrolling through cute otter videos on social media. If weve learned anything until this point, otters are eviler than they seem. However, it is important to note that otters impact on fisheries is not always negative. Otters (genus Lutra) hail from the subfamily of Lutrinae and are carnivorous mammals. STDs are at a shocking high. They love to chow down! When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. They provide full-time care for their babies for six to eight months, until the babies can survive independently. River otters are common and of "least concern" in California, but are threatened or endangered in some other states . (Exploring the Intelligence of Lions), 11 Powerful Animals With No Natural Predators. When faced with a threat, they wont hesitate to use their powerful teeth and strong jaws to inflict serious injury. While they hunt for food underwater, theyll often store a rock in the skin under their arms for later use. 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. Some tribes consider the otter to be a lucky animal and a symbol of "loyalty and honesty." Otters have their cubs in underground burrows, known as 'holts'. Ocean Conservancy. During mating, male otters hold onto the female and bite her nose, sometimes even hard enough that blood starts gushing out and causes deep wounds. Sea otters are also among the most ravenous animals. Here's what you need to know about these terrible animals, and why you should fear and hate them. 2, 2005, pp. 1. They spend around five hours each day foraging. Otters have been known to guard and have sex with the bodies of their victims for up to seven days after they've died. Otters' big appetites protect kelp forests by eating sea urchins. Like many animals, if an otter or its babies feel frightened, they may become aggressive and most events occur while a person was walking or swimming close to water. This ancient marvel rivaled Romes intricate network of roads, For some long COVID patients, exercise is bad medicine, Radioactive dogs? On average, river species can live up to 8-9 years in the wild, while sea species can live up to 10-15 years. Predatory behavior towards non-prey species can lead to imbalances in the food chain and can cause unintended consequences for other species in the ecosystem. Lets end this on a somewhat less disturbing note! But the last 40 years haven't consisted of unerring progress for the sea otter. Although they do drink some water, koalas aren't highly dependent on this resource. Otters natural habitats are regularly disrupted or destroyed due to human activities, making it harder for them to survive. They bite their female partner's face during copulation to keep her from slipping away, leaving her with substantial facial wounds. Some otters hold the female's heads underwater during intercourse to force submission. Nature, unfortunately, isn't always pretty. They are the Asian small-clawed otter, African clawless otter, and Congo clawless otter. The male forced the pup under water as if trying to drown it. 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 enormousAmazon creatures if the need arises. As a result, conservation efforts have been put in place to help protect these animals. "Hairy-nosed Otter." Additionally, they can host parasites such as lungworms, which can infect domestic dogs and lead to respiratory issues. They generally forage in the water, but they can also hunt on land. 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). There has been an incident where an otter had tried to mate with a dog and killed it in the process. The male of this species tends to be larger than the females. 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. Creating activities such as beach cleanups or nature walks where there might be an opportunity for an encounter with this species can help pique peoples interest in helping protect their habitat from further degradation. The aquarium staff had previously tried raising pups themselves but found that hand-raised otters became too attached to humans to be released back into the wild. In such cases, medical attention is necessary to prevent infection and ensure proper wound healing. A group of otters in the water is most often called a raft. This ancient religion considered otters to be the dogs of the river or sea and had strict rules forbidding the killing of otters. "12 Facts About Sea Otters for Sea Otter Awareness Week." But maybe the most disturbing fact about otters is that they are known to "mate" with deceased animals. Average Life Span In The Wild: 8 to 9 years. Excellent and lithe swimmers, the young are in the water by 10 weeks of age. These territorial animals are more than capable of holding their own in a fight. Here are 13 strange and terrifying facts about animals that'll send a shiver down your spine. Stephens, Tim. Although they may be adorable and hold hands while traveling, dont forget how distressing and evil otters are. explained by the vicious mating ritual. Hand-holding keeps the otters from drifting away from each other and their food source while they sleep. By understanding the less endearing aspects of otter behavior, we can better appreciate the full spectrum of their existence and develop more effective conservation strategies. "Whats Killing Sea Otters? As the sea otter thrust his pelvis, his penis was extruded and intromission was observed. In fact, females havedisproportionately higher rates of fatality explained by the vicious mating ritual. Undisputedly, otters are one of nature's wonders that are particularly friendly-looking and cute, even having their charismatic gestures capable of stimulating dopamine hormone in the human body. How this animal can survive is a mystery. It is known as the common otter or northern river otter. International Otter Survival Fund. If you thought that these are the worst disturbing facts about otters, youd be mistaken were just getting started with the absolute worst these animals do. However, theres more to these aquatic mammals than meets the eye. Most females drown in this process. River otters live primarily in freshwater, though they do swim and hunt in seawater. Wild Explained is the go-to source for all things related to wildlife. They eat mostly aquatic organisms such as frogs, fish, turtles, insects, and some small mammals. Otters can dive as deep as 14m under the surface and spend 4-6 hours a day in water foraging. And I don't just mean in the way carnivorous species always are to their prey. Charismatic otters are the largest members of the weasel family. Fruit Fly Swarms Are Really Just Massive Orgies These efforts are necessary so that we can ensure this species can continue to flourish despite outside threats they face due to over-harvesting and human interference. 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. That makes it about a thousand times more dense than human hair. Furthermore, they have been observed engaging in territorial disputes over prime foraging spots, often resulting in violent confrontations. Otter families are usually limited to pups and their mothers, and these duos will spend most of their time either feeding or sleeping. National Park Service, 2016. In 2014, the US Geological Survey (USGS) released a study of northern sea otters living close to Washington who were discovered to have possessed H1N1 virus (swine flu) throughout a large number of their population. Their small heads widen to long necks and shoulders, and they have flattened, well-muscled tails. According to the Smithsonian, these mammals are the world's newest carriers of H1N1, the flu strain that lead to a human pandemic back in 2009. A 2011 study found 39 anecdotal reports of river otter attacks in North America, 35 of which occurred after 1980. With their furry faces and charming personalities, they have captured the hearts of many. There are around 13 extant species, out of which some of them are aquatic, semiaquatic, and marine, and their diet mainly consists of fish and invertebrates. "Sea Otters." His articles have been mentioned by Wikipedia, USA Today, and HuffPost, among others. Inside South Africas skeleton trade. River otters dont breed until theyre at least five years old. Wisconsin River Otter Name: River Otters Scientific Name: Lutra canadensis Measurements: length: 2-4ft, weight: 44-82lbs, tail length: 1-1.5ft Habitat: anywhere near water Yes, they can act as carriers for various parasites and pathogens, some of which can potentially infect other animals or even humans. Weight: 11 to 30 pounds. Thats why organizations like the Wildlife Conservation Society and other educators are raising awareness about otters and how threats like climate change, illegal hunting, pollution, commercial fishing, the over-development of coastal areas, and waterway runoff are impacting wild populations. Scientists suspect otters may even be able to determine the sex, age, and reproductive status of the spraint dropper just from a quick whiff. Its thought to get its special odor, which some scientists describe as smelling like violets, from the seafood diet otters eat. While these modifications are essential for otter survival, they can have negative consequences for other species that rely on the same habitat. Hairy-Nosed Otters Are a Lazarus Species, 9. A 2010 paper talked about 19 cases, including a particularly gruesome instance where a sea otter bit a pup's face, held it underwater, and copulated with it for over an hour until it died. They can also dive up to 300 feet in search of food. The forceful mating practices of otters also have implications for conservation efforts. However, this behavior can also result in conflicts with rival males and female otters, further highlighting the complexities of otter social structures. Size: Head and body: 21.75 to 31.5 inches; tail: 11.75 to 19.75 inches. They also sometimes intertwine their feet with another sea otter, so that they stay together. Prey shortages are very damaging due to high caloric needs. Concealed beneath those button noses and fluffy fur lies a creature with some really frightening mating habits. Sometimes river otters will travel between 10 and 18 miles (16 and 29 km) in search of food. But with their numbers hovering around just a few thousand, researchers have kept a close eye on the population and their studies have revealed an interesting social structure. A version of this story originally ran in 2015. All otters have webbed feet to help propel them through the water, and most species . 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, Giant river otters hunt in a group of nine and hunt together, and also store food, giving them the nickname "lobos de ro" or ", Smart Animals: Sea Otters Used Tools Even Before Dolphins and Humans Did, Study Says, Giant Otters Used to Be Fearsome Hunters in Ancient China, Severe Thunderstorms, Tornadoes, Large Hail Threaten 15 Million Residents in Texas, Antarctica During Dinosaur Era Ravaged by Frequent Forest Fires [Study], Air Pollution Kills 1200 Children Yearly, European Study Says, $20k Reward Money Up For Finding Boat Operator Who Drove Over California Sea Lions in the Columbia River, Virtual Reality Reduces the Use of Sedatives During Surgery. As natural predators of fish, they can consume significant quantities of fish, causing a decline in available stocks and potentially leading to economic losses for local fishing communities. River otters perform "scat dances" by stomping their hind feet and lifting their tail. At six months, the pups are released back into the wild with generally strong results. While this predatory behavior is a natural part of their existence, it can sometimes have detrimental effects on their ecosystems. To prevent injuries caused by otters, it is important to avoid approaching them or their dens, particularly during breeding season when they may be more aggressive. Or, she might rely on human resources and otter ingenuity to find a makeshift "playpen" for her pup. Furthermore, their presence in an ecosystem can indicate a healthy and balanced environment, which can have positive implications for fishing and other industries. The two species found in North America are river otters and sea otters, the latter of which are also found in Japan and the Pacific coast of Russia. Rats invaded paradise. Does eating close to bedtime make you gain weight? At 105 min into the encounter, the sea otter released the pup, now dead, and began grooming.You read that correctly. In Alaska's Aleutian Islands, the species has seen a marked decline since the 1980s. As a result of their rapid decline, many countries have enacted laws and regulations to protect sea otters. Although river otters are primarily responsible for these attacks (80%), sea otters can be just as dangerous incidents are more infrequent. Male sea otters have been known to engage in sexual aggression toward baby seals, an act that can result in severe injuries and even the death of the seal. How to see the Lyrid meteor shower at its peak, The Stone of Destiny has a mysterious past beyond British coronations, Ultimate Italy: 14 ways to see the country in a new light, 6 unforgettable Italy hotels, from Lake Como to Rome, A taste of Rioja, from crispy croquettas to piquillo peppers, Trek through this stunning European wilderness, Land of the lemurs: the race to save Madagascar's sacred forests, Photograph by Charlie Hamilton James, Nat Geo Image Collection. Otters have long been celebrated for their playful nature and captivating appearance, but as this article has revealed, they have a darker side that is often overlooked. Can Frogs Feel Happy? The aquarium has since devised a system of hand-rearing pups for the first six to eight weeksmostly for bottle feeding purposesbefore handing the pups off to female otters for raising. Womble, Jamie. Oh, sure they do. Otters have some interesting relatives. In particular, it is well known that sea otters will force themselves on baby seals. Otters are well suited to a life on the water as they have . This ordinary woman hid Anne Frankand kept her story alive, This Persian marvel was lost for millennia. Here are 13 weird or interesting facts about koalas to make you love them even more. These otters also have less webbing between their digits. Spraint scents can vary, but often are (relatively) pleasantone expert described them as not "dissimilar to jasmine tea." Sea otters, unlike other marine mammals, do not have a . Otters can be found living on almost every continent on Earth and these mean otter facts apply to all 13 species, many of which are unfortunately endangered due to over hunting, habitat destruction, and pandemic viruses among certain otter populations.
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