Otters For Sale

Otters For Sale north American river otters, also called Canadian otters . Have long, muscular, streamlined bodies with short legs and fully webbed feet bearing non-retractable claws. Their small heads widen to long necks and shoulders, and they have flattened, well-muscled tails. These otters have brown-to-gray fur, and their undersides are a lighter, silvery shade. Their dense, short under-fur is overlain by darker . Coarse guard hairs that help repel water. Otters For Sale

Otters For Sale the river otter’s eyes and ears are located high on its head for surface swimming. A third eyelid, or nictitating membrane, protects the eye and allows the otter to see when swimming underwater. The otter’s ears and nostrils close underwater.

River otters have long, stiff and highly sensitive facial whiskers that aid in locating and capturing prey. The otters typically capture prey in their mouths but occasionally use their thumbs and forepaws to grasp and manipulate prey. Like other carnivores, their teeth are well adaptefor grinding and crushing.

Otters For Sale

The tail is highly muscular and comprises up to 40 percent of the otter’s total body length. With the tail’s strong, undulating movement, a river otter propels itself through the water as fast as 8 miles (13 kilometers) per hour and can easily dive to 36 feet (11 meters) or more. River otters use their powerful hind feet to help with propulsion and their small, dexterous front feet for paddling through the water.

River otters are found throughout most of North America from the Rio Grande to Canada and Alaska, except for in arid deserts and the treeless Arctic. They live in riparian zones, often in the same areas as beavers. Their aquatic habitats can be both marine and fresh water: streams, rivers, lakes, ponds and marshes. Otters For Sale

They prefer unpolluted water with a minimal human disturbance. An extremely adaptable animal, otters tolerate hot and cold climates, as well as high elevations and lowland coastal waters.

Otters For Sale

River otters eat mostly aquatic organisms, including fish, frogs, crayfish, turtles, insects and some small mammals. They hunt singly or in pairs and although otters generally forage in water, they are equally at home on land, sometimes traveling between 10 and 18 miles (16 and 29 kilometers) in search of food.

North American river otters get their boundless energy from their very high metabolism, which also requires that they eat a great deal during the day. At the Smithsonian’s National Zoo, they eat a prepared meat diet and several types of fish. They also receive mice, carrots, hard-boiled eggs, clams, crayfish, dry kibble, crickets and live fish for variety and enrichment.

Otters For Sale information about river otter breeding and reproductive and social behavior is varied due to the difficulty of studying these animals in the wild. Some studies indicate that river otters pair for only a few months during the breeding season and have no further strong bonds. Other research maintains that river otters mate for life.

Different studies have placed the breeding season in winter, late spring and summer. What is clear is that there is a delayed implantation of nine to 11 months, with actual gestation taking about 60 days. Otter births occur most frequently in March or April.

Otters For Sale

Female otters prepare dens that they keep scrupulously clean. The den is usually dug into the bank of a stream but can be an old beaver’s lodge, muskrat house or hollow tree. Young are born between April and May and arrive silky black, blind, toothless and totally helpless. They weigh about 4 to 6 ounces (113 to 170 grams) at birth and measure 8 to 11 inches (20 to 28 centimeters). The male otter is generally chase away until the young are wean and old enough to leave the riverbank, at which time they may return and help raise the pups.

River otters stay in family groups during the summer and early fall. Pups grow rapidly and emerge from the den at about 2 months of age. At this point, they eat solid food but are not completely weaned for another month or two. While young otters swim naturally, the mother must coax them into the water for their first swim. They remain as a family unit for seven to eight months or until the birth of a new litter. ThisOtters reach sexual maturity at 2 to 3 years of age. Otters For Sale

Otters are fascinating creatures! They’re semi-aquatic mammals belonging to the family Mustelidae, which also includes weasels, badgers, and minks. Here are some interesting facts about otters:

1. **Habitat**: Otters are found in freshwater and coastal habitats around the world, including North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Africa.

2. **Diet**: They are carnivores and primarily eat fish, though they also consume crustaceans, mollusks, and small mammals. Some species of otters are known to use tools, such as rocks, to crack open shells.

3. **Social Behavior**: Otters are often seen in groups called “rafts” when in the water. They are quite playful animals and can often be observed sliding down muddy or snowy embankments just for fun. Baby Otters

4. **Communication**: Otters communicate with each other through various vocalizations, including chirps, whistles, and growls. They also use body language and scent marking to communicate.

5. **Adaptations**: Their streamlined bodies, webbed feet, and strong tails make them excellent swimmers. They have dense fur that traps air, providing insulation and buoyancy in the water.

6. **Conservation**: Several species of otters are threaten or endanger due to habitat loss, pollution, poaching, and conflicts with humans. Conservation efforts are ongoing to protect these charismatic animals and their habitats.

Overall, otters are not only adorable but also important members of their ecosystems, playing a crucial role in maintaining the health of aquatic environments.

Baby Otters

Here are some additional fascinating facts about otters:

7. **Species Diversity**: There are 13 species of otters belonging to the subfamily Lutrinae. These include the North American river otter, Eurasian otter, sea otter, giant otter, and many others. Each species has its own unique adaptations and behaviors.

8. **Sea Otters and Tool Use**: Sea otters are particularly renown for their tool use. They often use rocks or other hard objects to crack open the shells of their prey, such as clams and shellfish. They are one of the few mammal species known to use tools regularly.

9. **Otter Pups**: Otter pups are born blind and helpless, relying entirely on their mother for care and protection. They are typically born in underground burrows or dens near water. As they grow, they learn essential survival skills from their parents.

10. **Giant Otters**: Giant otters are the largest species of otter, reaching lengths of up to 6 feet (1.8 meters). They are highly social animals, living in extended family groups and communicating with a complex series of vocalizations. Baby Otters

11. **Mating Rituals**: Otters often engage in elaborate mating rituals, which may include vocalizations, chasing, and playful behavior. Mating usually occurs in the water, and otters form monogamous or polygamous partnerships depending on the species.

12. **Significant Predators**: While otters are skill hunters, they also face threats from predators such as eagles, crocodiles, and large fish. However, their playful nature and agility often help them evade predators in their natural habitats.

13. **Keystone Species**: Otters play a crucial role as keystone species in their ecosystems. By controlling prey populations and maintaining the health of aquatic habitats, they have a ripple effect on the entire ecosystem’s biodiversity. Baby Otters

Otters truly are remarkable animals, exhibiting a wide range of behaviors and adaptations that have captured the interest of scientists and nature enthusiasts alike.