Where does the otter live in what natural area. River otter: appearance, habits, habitat. Lifestyle and social behavior
Otters are predatory animals of the mustelid family, leading an aquatic lifestyle. In nature, there are 17 species of otters. The closest relatives to these animals are sea otters, sometimes called sea otters.
Eastern clawless otter (Aonyx cinerea).
In general, otters are not very large animals: body length in most species does not exceed 1 m, and weight 10-12 kg. The exception is the giant otter from South America, whose body length can reach up to 1.5 m and weight up to 30 kg! Otters have a characteristic appearance for all mustelids: a very elongated, flexible body, short paws with tenacious claws, a short neck and a flattened head with small ears. Their tail is also long and muscular. Otters have small but sharp teeth. Distinctive feature of these animals are swimming membranes on their paws. The fur of all otter species is very short and extremely thick. Such fur does not let water through and is highly valued. The color of all species of otters is brown with a lighter throat and abdomen.
Otters live on all continents except Australia. These animals are very closely connected with water and settle along the banks of rivers with a gentle current. However, the cat otter from South America prefers sea coasts, and the African Congolese otter settles in mountain rivers with a rapid current. Most often, otters live in burrows, sometimes they occupy caves near the water or make a den in reed beds. All otters live alone except for short period when the female is raising the young. Only giant otters form permanent family groups of 10-15 individuals. Otters occupy permanent sites, which are marked and guarded against the intrusion of neighbors. In case of lack of food, otters can wander, for example, an ordinary otter can travel 10-15 km per day in winter, which is very much for an animal with such short legs.
An otter jumping into the water.
All species of otters feed mainly on fish, sometimes supplementing it with crustaceans, molluscs, bird eggs or terrestrial rodents. These animals are quite voracious and spend a lot of time in search of food. In the water, otters are unusually dexterous: they swim fast, dive deep and can hold their breath for several minutes. Under water, these animals move like loaches, bending the body, tumbling and capsizing. Not a single fish can resist the dexterity of otters! Otters are such successful hunters that when they are full they often catch fish for play - then they release it, then they catch it again.
The otter eats its prey.
In the absence of fish, otters love to tumble in the river and, in general, spend a lot of time in the water, even clean themselves there. Otters devote a lot of time to their toilet, because its heat-conducting properties depend on the purity of their fur. otters temperate zone are not afraid of frost and even at low temperatures dive into the water.
An otter on the ice of the river eats a mined mollusk.
Otters breed once a year, usually the breeding season is in the spring (in northern species) or the beginning of the rainy season (in African otters).
A pair of otters
In common and other temperate otters, an interesting phenomenon is observed: after fertilization, the development of the embryo stops (this is called the latent, that is, the latent phase), and then continues again.
Baby otter.
The duration of the latent period can be up to 270 days! Thus, the female can bring offspring in January and April next year. There are 2-4 cubs in a brood. They are born blind and helpless, they see clearly only after a month. Young for a long time stay with their mother, mastering the difficult art of water hunting.
Depending on the area where one or another species of otter lives, its enemies can be wolves, crocodiles, jaguars or predator birds, which can catch an otter that has moved away from the river. But the main enemy of otters is hunger. A dexterous otter can catch any fish, but is helpless in the face of its absence. Therefore, these animals are found only in remote and untouched corners of nature, where the proximity of people and water pollution do not undermine fish stocks. In general, otters suffered greatly from the hand of man. The unique fur of the otter, which is considered the most wearable (durable) fur in the world, has made these animals the object of an insatiable hunt. In many places, the populations of this animal are undermined by fishing, and some species of otters are on the verge of extinction. The situation is aggravated by the fact that, due to the specifics of their biology, it is impossible to breed otters in captivity on an industrial scale (like minks, for example), although these animals are very smart and easily tamed. Only widespread protection can save these wonderful animals.
Sea otter or sea otter (Enhydra lutris) - predatory mammal Pacific coast, a member of the mustelid family (Mustelidae), is the closest relative of otters. This cute marine life famous for his original appearance, unique habits and way of life.
The sea otter occupies a key position in the ocean community. Once upon a time, sea otters were found in the coastal waters of the entire northern Pacific: from Japan to California, but indefatigable fishing and changes environment led to a widespread reduction in their habitat. The waters of Eastern Kamchatka are one of the few accessible places where you can still see these amazing animals today.
Sea otters are inhabitants of shallow coastal areas with depths not exceeding 100 meters.
Scientists distinguish three subspecies of these animals. The southern sea otter lives off the coast of California, the population has about 3 thousand individuals.
The range of the northern sea otter occupies most North American coast: from California to the Aleutian Islands. They are most numerous in Alaska and the Aleutian Islands, where they number up to 70 thousand individuals.
The third subspecies lives in the waters of Russia - the Asian sea otter. According to various estimates, in the water areas of the Kuril, Commander Islands, Eastern Kamchatka, there are from 25 to 30 thousand individuals.
What does a sea otter look like? Sea otter photo
One of the first serious descriptions of the animal dates back to 1741 and is contained in " sea animals» Georg Steller. A young naturalist from the Second Kamchatka Expedition of Vitus Bering, during a harsh winter on the Commander Islands, observed the nature of this remote Pacific corner and described the animals and nature of the island. “The sea otter looks like an overgrown otter: a compact round head, an elongated body with short legs and a thick tail,” wrote Vitus Bering.
The sea otter is the largest representative of the marten family, and it is the only one from this family that is entirely a marine animal. The body length of adult males can reach 1.3 m in length, body weight often reaches 45 kg. The females are noticeably smaller.
head shape and general structure the body of the sea otter resembles a river otter, but it is much more massive, and its body is more elongated. The front paws are small, the fingers are almost not expressed; hind legs are large, flipper-like. The head of the animal is round, the neck is short and thick. A slightly flattened muzzle is decorated with a large black nose and thick whiskers. The ears of the beast are small, almost invisible on the head.
In the photo, the sea otter demonstrates its magnificent fur.
Why does a sea otter need warm fur?
The fur of the animal is very thick, soft and silky. Its color varies from brown to almost black, light brown color is rare. By venerable age, animal fur acquires a noble light silver hue.
Sea otters have been harvested by indigenous people for centuries for this incredible fur. The surviving members of the Bering expedition can also thank the beast for successful wintering However, for the sea otter itself, the consequences were catastrophic. Russian and American fishermen have since mercilessly beaten sea otters, supplying the most valuable fur to the European market.
Why is kalanya skin so good? The sea otter looks like a typical land animal, but spends a significant part of its life in the water. The thermal conductivity of water is several times higher than that of air, which means that the preservation of heat for aquatic mammals especially relevant. Nature awarded the sea otter with the thickest fur in the world: the density of hairs is up to 150 thousand per square centimeter. Long guard hairs (2-4 cm) form the mechanical frame of the protective layer, and air is retained between short (0.5-3 cm) down hairs, which delays heat transfer to the external environment.
A warm coat requires constant care. Lying in waves on their backs, adult animals comb themselves from nose to tail with their front paws. Animals spend over 10% of their time cleaning their coats. As we fluff up a pillow before going to bed, they fray the skin, renewing the insulating air layer. The fur coat of the cubs is cared for by their mothers. During the courtship period, the males gently caress the females.
Such a reverent attitude to their fur leaves a certain imprint on social relations: fights between these animals are extremely rare, because even a trifling wound can break the integrity of the heat-insulating layer and lead to hypothermia. Therefore, the clarification of relations between males is limited to demonstrative postures and threats. And if animals bite, then by the nose, and, mainly, in the process of mating games.
Hunting Talents
The basis of the diet of sea otters are benthic invertebrates: sea urchins, crabs, octopuses. On occasion, they also eat fish, but this is not the main food item. sea otters more than 150 species of animals are consumed, but the main ones in the diet are only 10-20. Cubs prefer to feed on the same types of invertebrates as their mothers.
To survive, the sea otter needs to eat up to 20-25% of its own body weight daily. Intelligence, dexterity and possession of some unique skills help the beast to get enough food.
Most of the food objects the sea otter collects from the bottom. To dig up bivalve mollusks, he uses the following tactics: he actively digs with his front paws, and at the same time makes circular movements with his hind legs to stay near the bottom. At the same time, he plunges his muzzle into a hole, looking for a mollusk. Under water the animal can stay from 30 to 60 seconds and dives to the same hole three or more times to enlarge it and pick up all the found mollusks.
Having collected food for himself (he often puts it in thick folds on his stomach or in a fold of skin under his arm), the beast floats to the surface and starts eating. Large, rounded molars are well suited for crushing the shell of sea urchins and the shells of abalone and mussels. But smart animals have created their own unique food culture - the use of stones to open the shell. It should be noted here that the use of tools among non-primates is extremely rare. Sea otters are predators of a high order.
So, in order to open the shell, the sea otter finds a stone (usually a flat stone with a diameter of up to 18 cm is used), turns over on its back, lays the stone on its chest and uses it as an anvil. Holding the shell firmly in its front paws resembling mittens, the animal strikes the stone with force. A few blows are enough to split it. The sea otter then extracts the contents with its protruding lower incisors. In places where there are no stones, but only sand and clay, the beast uses one shell as a hammer, and the other as an anvil. After dinner, the animal thoroughly cleans its fur coat from food debris.
Sea otters consume most of the moisture they need with food, although, unlike other marine mammals, they are able to drink sea water.
Family matters
The structure of the kalan society is extremely variable. Getting food or marriage rituals do not require collective action, so adult animals can often be found alone. They can also form groups of different composition. The strongest social bonds are in mother-calf pairs. There are also groups of males - adolescents and groups of adult males. However, the uneven distribution and the lack of feeding places lead to the formation of sea otters. Often, during the rest, dozens of animals lying together form a real living raft. Perhaps this is done to protect against sharks and killer whales.
The largest gatherings can number up to several hundred individuals. Oddly enough, strangers are easily accepted into such isolated groups, which is generally not very typical for mammals. Approaching a cluster of relatives, the sea otter moves its head from side to side. This is not only a kind of greeting, but also a way to get more information by sniffing other individuals. Sometimes sea otters wrap themselves in long thalli of algae to gain a foothold in their resting place.
Sea otters do not have a specific breeding season. Males may spend several days with a female in heat, but never stay with her for long. At any other time, males are not too fond of females and may even take prey from them.
Sea otters have one interesting feature, which is infrequently found in animals: delayed embryonic development. The pause between fertilization and the beginning of embryonic development can last 2-3 months, so that childbirth occurs at the optimal time for this. The pregnancy itself lasts from 6 to 8 months.
Usually 1 cub is born, only in rare cases twins are born, then one of them, as a rule, dies. Females can become very attached to their babies. It happens that even after six months, when the cub reaches the size adult, mother does not stop combing it, holding it on her chest.
conservation in nature
AT late XIX- at the beginning of the 20th century, the number of sea otters declined catastrophically due to hunting for them for the sake of valuable fur. The species was on the verge of extinction. In 1911, the United States, Great Britain, Russia and Japan entered into an agreement prohibiting the hunting of these animals. Since then, there has been a constant increase in the number of species from 1,500 individuals at the beginning of the 20th century to 100,000 at the present time.
However, the danger of extinction continues to threaten sea otters. Habitat degradation and water pollution are today more pressing problems than ever. A stark reminder that human activity can jeopardize the survival of a population in an instant is the wreck of a tanker in Prince William Sound in 1989. Terrible oil pollution resulted in the death of 5,000 sea otters.
Reserves and other protected marine habitats play a key role in the conservation of these amazing animals. In Kamchatka, these are the water areas of the South Kamchatka Reserve and the Kronotsky Reserve. Such coastal waters are the main habitat of the sea otter. Protected areas include bays, coves and islands that are rich in marine life. Restrictions economic activity and disturbance associated with vessel traffic allow for the conservation of the natural diversity of marine communities. Sea otters calmly go about their business - looking for food, sleeping or cleaning themselves, not noticing the approach of the boat. And if you are lucky enough to see a sea otter, do not scare him when you meet him, watch him open the hedgehog or take care of his fur coat.
In contact with
The otter is a semi-aquatic animal and a real thunderstorm of fish. She swims and dives beautifully, which makes it easy to keep up with any large and small fish.
Once this beast inhabited almost the entire Earth where there were fish. The only exceptions were Antarctica, Australia and some islands in the extreme South and North. Otters were common representatives river fauna Europe, Asia, America and North Africa. But people saw them as competitors in catching fish, as well as northern peoples appreciated their waterproof fur. Otters were so mercilessly destroyed that today it is a great success to see the animal in their former habitats. Only in Alaska and Siberia they can be found everywhere.
Places where different types of otters live
The most famous and widespread European otter, or common river otter, inhabits North Africa, Europe (besides Switzerland and the Netherlands) and Asia, not meeting only on the Arabian Peninsula. 
In South America, there is a record-breaking otter for length and weight among representatives of the subfamily - giant, or. The length of her body without a tail reaches 150 cm, the tail is 70 cm long, and her body weight is about 30 kg. The main difference between the giant otter and other relatives is its flattened tail. Brazilian otters live in small family groups in quiet rivers: Amazon and Orinoco. They communicate with each other with different sounds. To notify the family of their presence, otters scream sharply and emerge from the water.
Three more species of the otter subfamily inhabit the Central and South America, these are: southern, long-tailed and cat otter. The Canadian otter lives in North America, which differs from the common otter only large size and the structure of the skull. The Canadian otter can weigh up to 14 kg.
In Africa south of the Sahara, the variegated, white-throated, or spotted otter lives; in Indochina and the Malay Archipelago, the Sumatran otter, in South-East Asia- Indian otter. Also in these parts of the world you can see different types clawless otters. 
otter dwelling
Otters spend most of their lives in the water looking for food. But to breed and rest after have a hard day come out on land. Otters live in burrows near the shores of the reservoir in which they live. The otter builds its dwelling in such a way that it can immediately get into the water from it.
The otter is a very interesting and cute animal. A massive rounded head with small eyes and short ears, a thick short neck, a torpedo-like body, a short flat tail, toeless forepaws, back ones that look like flippers and are equipped with membranes - all this is very useful for life on the water! These animals rarely appear on the shore, because the sea is safer and much more convenient for them.
How interesting it is to watch otters in their natural environment a habitat! Surely, many wondered where the otter lives, what it eats and how it became famous in the animal world.
The sea otter (as this cute animal is also called) is ideally adapted to existence in coastal sea waters. Such an animal spends almost its entire life in the sea, sometimes getting out on land. The otter can dive to a depth of 97 m and swim at speeds up to 9 km/h. And all the movements are incredibly graceful! An important role in buoyancy is played by the grease of the fur of the animal.
But in modern world waters are often polluted with oil products, which is why otters have a very hard time. For them, this is a mortal danger!
Sea urchins play a big role here. Picking up a whole bunch of these creatures, the otter rises to the surface, lies on its back, and puts food on its chest. After that, the sea otter carefully gnaws the shells of hedgehogs and eats away the eggs with pleasure. After the meal, “cleaning” takes place: the animal spins around in a top and washes away the remnants of food and mucus.
So, for example, the case of 1946, which occurred near Cape Lopatka (south of Kamchatka), is notorious. The Mariupol tanker ran aground, and oil spilled over the water. After that, all the sea otters of these places disappeared and appeared only six years later.
Having no previous negative experience of communicating with people, this beast shows incredible curiosity: it follows human activities with genuine interest, closely examines unknown things.
The total hunt for this animal eventually led to their disappearance from almost all places in the natural range, although earlier they lived in abundance on one and the other coast of the northern part. Pacific Ocean from California to Japan, the Aleutian and Commander Islands, and also near Alaska. There are not so many places where the otter lives, one of them is Kamchatka.
Captivity otters endure hard. They show nervousness when captured, and then refuse to eat, are stressed, stop caring for their fur, and often die from exhaustion or a cold. Because of this, the creation of nurseries of sea otters is inhumane and impractical. It is necessary to save this species by banning hunting for them, because, despite the fact that we do not live in the "Stone" Age, animal husbandry continues!
The habitat of the otter dictates to it the appropriate way of feeding and menu. This is the only marine mammal capable of breaking mollusk shells on pebbles picked up from the seabed. To such delicacies, sea otters also add fish, crabs, marine, bottom invertebrates, etc. to the menu.
Baby otters are born in the water, they rarely swim more than 1 km from the coast. Unlike most pinnipeds, sea otters do not have dense subcutaneous fat that saves from the cold, but an “air cushion” comes to the rescue from bubbles located in long, thick and soft fur of black-brown or chestnut color.
Most of the day the otter is busy looking for food. She is very voracious and every day eats food, by weight equal to 25% of her own weight. During the hunt, the sea otter relies on its sensitive sense of touch, vibrissae - a hard mustache growing on the muzzle. This "device" is able to capture the slightest water vibrations. Plus, incredibly dexterous forepaws play their role in hunting.
The flat and wide molars of the animal are perfectly adapted to the sometimes “hard” menu (shells, shells), despite the fact that otters easily crush hard shells, strong teeth still do not interfere.
In the "lunch" position, otter mothers also feed their cubs, who can swim from birth (but not yet dive). Up to 8 months, babies stay with their mothers. At this time, males keep apart from the territories of females.
It is quite obvious that the otter, the habitat of this animal, the species that it feeds on - all this needs to be protected and sensitive to people. Preserving such a wonderful species as a sea otter for future generations is the duty of all modern mankind.
It is so different from its relatives that zoologists are ready to recognize it as a separate detachment. The river otter, which is very difficult to photograph due to its caution, lives along the banks of fresh water bodies. She prefers mountain rivers or those whose rapid current does not allow water to freeze in winter, as well as with a rocky or pebble bottom. Therefore, in the valley large waterways it is rare to find her.
It is known that for plants there is a special list - the Red Book. River otter, to Unfortunately, she was also brought there, and not because she became a victim of an uncontrolled hunt. The fact is that this small predator can only live in very clean water, and the industrial rise in Western Europe at the end of the 19th century, it was very polluted. The otter completely disappeared from the expanses of Switzerland, Great Britain, Spain, Sweden and the Netherlands (now there are attempts to introduce animals in their usual habitats). And in other parts of the Old World, the number of animals has decreased significantly.
Subspecies of these creatures are found in North and Latin America, in Asia (up to South China) and, of course, the river otter does not live in arctic tundra. After all, even in winter, she needs open water. The largest of the species is the South American giant otter, which can weigh up to 25 kg. By the way, these giants, unlike their counterparts, who prefer to live alone, settle in small communities.
great swimmer. Everything in her physique is adapted for a long stay under water. The body is streamlined, elongated, the hind legs are longer than the front ones, there are membranes between the fingers. Almost imperceptible ears are equipped with a special valve that prevents water from entering the auditory shell. Since the animal does not have a thick layer of fat (and remains flexible and fast), all hope for the preservation of heat relies on fur. It is dense, with coarse guard hairs and a delicate wavy undercoat. But most importantly, it does not get wet at all! When moving in water, the otter is helped by a flat head and a long, muscular tail. The color of the otter is dark brown on top, and its belly is light, slightly silvery.
Eurasian river otter - small predator. Males reach a body length of 90 cm and a weight of 10 kg, females are much smaller (55 cm and 6 kg). Their main food is small fish, but these hunters do not disdain eggs and chicks of river birds, frogs, caddisflies. The habitat of one individual is rather small - 250 m of the coastal strip, which it marks with excrement. But the otter neighbors live peacefully, and in times of famine converge to places where there is food. The animal digs one permanent hole, the entrance to which opens under water. The lair itself is dry, warm, lined with moss, grass and leaves. In winter, animals stay close to polynyas or gullies.
The river otter prefers to hunt in the morning and in the evening. During the day, she basks in the sun, perched on a stone or a trunk of a fallen tree. Her disposition is cheerful and mischievous. Otters often play with themselves: uttering squeals and chirping, they love to roll into the water from inclined surfaces. In captivity, they are quickly tamed, recognize the owner and fawn like cats. In the wild, they live up to 10 years. Otters are very caring mothers. The female bravely defends her brood (usually there are 3 or 4 cubs) even from humans. The young live with the parent for about a year.