41. Grandfather Mountain: River Otters Nottoway, Male, 2002. The life cycle of river otters. By the early 1900s, riverotters had disappeared from much of their historic range due to over trapping. http://www.grandfather.com/habitats/otters.htm

Otters on display in Grandfather's Habitats Otter's Name Sex Year Arrived at GM Oconee Female Nola Female Santee Male Nottoway Male The life cycle of river otters Early European settlers trapped otters for their fur. By the early 1900s, river otters had disappeared from much of their historic range due to over trapping. In the 20th century, loss of habitat from wetland drainage and water pollution have added to the pressures on a species that was once the most widely distributed mammal in the United States and Canada. Along with weasels and minks, the river otter belongs to the Mustelidae family. Otters are characterized by an elongated body with short, sturdy legs. They weight 11 to 23 pounds and are much larger than other mustelids. Males are usually about seventeen percent larger than females. Otters have a sleek body with a short, blunt snout, a thick neck, and a thick tail that is flattened on the top and tapers to a point. The waterproof fur is short and dense. It is generally dark brown with light brown coloring under the neck, chest, and stomach. Otter feet have five toes with non-retractable claws and webbing between each toe. The heel pads on the hind feet are adapted to provide better traction on slippery surfaces.

42. LookSmart - Directory - Sea And River Otters Sea and river otters Learn some scientific facts about, and findgroups dedicated to studying or protecting sea and river otters. http://search.looksmart.com/p/browse/us1/us317914/us146762/us146815/us146816/us3

@import url(/css/us/style.css); @import url(/css/us/searchResult1.css); Home IN the directory this category YOU ARE HERE Home Sciences Marine Mammals Sea and River Otters - Learn some scientific facts about, and find groups dedicated to studying or protecting sea and river otters. Directory Listings About allRefer Reference - Otter Dig into facts on ecology, diet, distribution, anatomy, habits, behavior, species, and habitat of aquatic mammals, including river, sea, and South American giant otters. allRefer Reference - Wildlife: River Otter (Lutra Canadensis) Learn details on wildlife occurrence, animal habitat, fire use, common names, wildlife distribution, food habits, taxonomy, fire effects, and ecosystems of river otters. Animal Diversity Web - North American River Otter Read a fact sheet on this creature, residing primarily in North America. Learn about its dietary habits, or view its skeletal structure. Animal Diversity Web - Sea Otters Browse the university fact sheet on this aquatic animal, found in several areas of the world, and learn about its dietary and social habits. Buckfast Butterflies and Dartmoor Otter Sanctuary Nature park in Devon, England, provides photos of river otters, and describes their diet and reproductive cycle. Also offers video clips.

43. The River Otter Italian). river otters have existed for a long time. Their river ottersare most active from early evening through early morning. They are http://www.luddist.com/otter.htm

THE RIVER OTTER (Lutra canadensis) The river otter, found in the United States and Canadian waterways, is a sub-species of the Otter (Lutrinae), which belongs to the martens (Mustelidae) family. The river otter is called Nutria del Canada or Nutria Norteamerica (Spanish), Lontre du Canada (French), Kanada-Otter or Nordamerikanischer Fischoter (German) and Lontre Canadese (Italian). River otters have existed for a long time. Their fossils date back to the Pleistocene period. Archeological remains have been uncovered from 200 BC to the mid-1400s. Otters are expert swimmers and divers, swimming at an average speed of seven miles per hour and staying underwater for up to 2 minutes. Unlike muskrats or beavers, the otter barely makes a ripple when swimming or splash when diving. Their specially built ears and nose have a valve-like skin that closes and keeps the otter watertight underwater. The otters nose is diamond shaped, with two nostrils at the bottom of the nose. Otters communicate with their noses, mainly by smelling marked territories. When they do talk, it is with chirps, chuckles, grunts, whistles and screams. River otters are most active from early evening through early morning. They are active all year, even in the cold Alaskan winters. Otters play more than most wild animals wrestling, chasing other otters, tossing and diving for rocks and clamshells, toying with live prey and occasionally, sliding.

44. Animal Bytes - Giant River Otter Fun Facts, 1. Giant river otters are social, typically forming groups of 48 individuals(though congregations of upto 20 indiviuals have been observed). http://www.seaworld.org/AnimalBytes/giantriverotter.htm

Giant River Otter Common Name: giant river otter, waterdog Class: Mammalia Order: Carnivora Family: Mustelidae Genus species: Pteronura brasiliensis Fast Facts Size: Tail length = 330 - 1,000 mm Weight: Males weigh 26-34 kg, females weigh 22-26 kg Description: Short coat appears brown when dry and a dark, shiny mocha when wet. Lips, chin, throat, and upper chest exhibit white blotches - which may merge into a single white "bib". Paws are large and webbed. Tail is thick at base and tapers to a dorsoventrally flattened end. Life span: approximately 14 years Sexual maturity: approximately 2 years Range: Historically, Colombia, Venezuela, the Guianas, eastern Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay and northeastern Argentina were included. Gestation: 65-70 days; weaned at 3-4 months Habitat: Slow-moving rivers and creeks within forests, swamps, and marshes. Shows a particular preference for waterways with gently sloping banks and good cover.

45. Giant River Otters Reside In The Amazon Of Peru. Giant river otters, Peru. Giant river otters at Manu Lodge.Manu Lodge is consideredthe best place in the tropics to see, photograph or film Giant river otters. http://www.lostworldadventures.com/specialinterest/wildlife/giantriverotters/per

Giant River Otters, Peru Manu Lodge is considered the best place in the tropics to see, photograph or film Giant River Otters. Host to these 70 pound gregarious mammals that live in small groups. A family of six to eight Giant Otters visit the lake every other week and our clients may see them from within 50 feet in front of the main building without disturbing them. Silently watch using the lake riverbanks, or lake piers guarantees wonderful sightings of these large carnivores as they fish, feed their cubs, preen and play. The lodge strictly forbids the use of canoes or catamarans to try to see the otters since Giant otters have sucessfuly bred in several occasions near Manu Lodge. Contact us to see Giant River Otters in the Amazon of Peru Lost World Adventures 337 Shadowmoor Drive, Decatur, GA 30030

46. WWF GUIANAS: GIANT RIVER OTTER tepuis, amazon forest, mangroves, WWF, world wildlife fund, world wide fund fornature, werld natuur fonds, giant river otters, ecoregions, conservation. http://www.wwfguianas.org/feat_spec_giant_otter.htm

WHO WE ARE OUR MISSION WHERE WE WORK CONTACT US ... EARTHDAY IUCN Status Category: Endangered Scientific name Pteronura brasiliensis Common names English: Giant Otter; Flat-tailed otter; Giant Brazilian Otter Surinamese: Bigi watra dagu Creole: Water Dog Mikushi: Turara Dutch: Reuzen Otter French: Loutre geante du Bresil Spanish: Portuguese: Ariranha, Saro Biology and Ecology The giant river otter is the largest of the 13 otter species and is found only in the rainforests and rivers of South America. From its head to the tip of its tail, an adult otter can reach 6 feet for a very large individual. The species is prized for its dense fur, which is brown and has a velvety appearance when dry. For swimming, the otter's large feet are webbed and its tail is muscular. The species favors slow-moving rivers and streams, oxbow lakes, swamps, and marshes. It feeds mainly on fish and crabs, and during the rainy season otters will follow fish as they move into the flooded forests bordering rivers. During the dry season, when cubs are reared, otters are less mobile, staying in a single river channel. Otters live in social groups of around 4 to 9 individuals. Each group has a home range that consists of both land and water and usually extendsover an area of about 12 by 12 km.

47. WWF GUIANAS: Giant River Otters Giant river otters, Research, Guianas, Guayanas, Guyana, French Guiana, Suriname,marine turtles, goldmining, sea turtles, tepuis, amazon forest, mangroves, WWF http://www.wwfguianas.org/Giant_Otter.htm

WHO WE ARE OUR MISSION WHERE WE WORK CONTACT US ... EARTHDAY The Central Suriname Nature Reserve, a World Heritage site, encompasses more than 1.6 millon hectares of pristine tropical rainforest interspersed with granite inselbergs and a tepui, huge sandstone rock formations that rise majestically above the forest canopy. Flowing through the reserve over rapids and dramatic waterfalls are the freshwater tributaries of the Upper Coppename River system. In June, a team funded by WWF-Guianas surveyed the Upper Coppename River, as part of its Giant Otter Regional Conservation Project to protect the freshwaters of the Guianas and their bio-indicator species, giant river otters. The project includes biodiversity assessments of key river systems and the training of local university students in river monitoring and biological survey techniques. As part of the research, tissue samples from the Anumara fish are also being collected to monitor mercury contamination from goldmining activities along the rivers. Marchal Lingaard, The Foundation for Nature Conservation in Suriname (STINASU) ornithologist and field researcher relaxing after a hard day's work at Adampada Creek, a tributary of the Upper Coppename River.

48. Why Are Giant River Otters Endangered Why are Giant river otters Endangered? Mercury is a poisonous element thatgets discharged into the waters where the Giant river otters live. http://www.tqnyc.org/NYC040957/05 why_are_giant_river_otters_endan.htm

Why are Giant River Otters Endangered? HOME PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS HABITAT PERSONALITY ... YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS Read through all the information below. At the end of the text you will find a quiz to test your knowledge. Challenge yourself to see how many answers you can get right. Hunting The main reason why people used to hunt the Giant River Otter is that its fur is the finest in the world and sold for high prices. Many Giant River Otter pelts were imported to the U.S. and Europe. Between 1960 and 1969 a Giant River Otter pelt was worth $50, so everybody wanted to hunt them. In the 1980’s a Giant River Otter pelt sold for $250 in European markets. The Giant River Otter is easy to kill because it is big and also active in the daytime. It is a social and curious creature. From the 1940’s through the 1970’s, people hunted the Giant River Otter so much that it almost became extinct. Today there are only 2,000 – 5,000 Giant River Otters left. It is now a protected species. Mining Mining has also hurt the Giant River Otter. Mercury is used in the process of mining gold. It is used to separate gold particles from river sediments. Mercury is a poisonous element that gets discharged into the waters where the Giant River Otters live. Mercury eventually gets absorbed into fish that the Giant River otters eat. The contaminated fish poisons the otters, leading to their deaths.

49. Eurasian River Otter (Lutra Lutra) - Picture And Info hunter? Eurasian river otters can be found in Europe, Asia and NorthernAfrica. Eurasian river otters reach ages of 10 15 years. It s http://magazine.naturecom.de/text/otter.html

back to index search site Eurasian river otter (Lutra lutra) - No habitat for the slender fish-hunter? Eurasian river otters can be found in Europe, Asia and Northern Africa. They inhabit water habitats of all kinds: small streams, rivers, ponds and lakes. They even live at the sea shore. Otters are solitary animals doing nocturnal migrations, which may lead lots of kilometres through areas of solid ground. Their physiques are well adapted to life and hunt in water. They are quite slender, up to 70 - 90 cm long and reach weights up to 7 - 12 kg. Females are a little smaller than males. River otters hunt fish but also all other kinds of small animals living in or near the water. The amount of fish they eat varies through the seasons. It comes to 20 - 90% of their nutrition. Since there is no certain mating season in River otters, young are born throughout the year. Pregnancy lasts for 9 weeks. A litter consists of 1 - 3 pups, which stay with their mother for about one year. Eurasian river otters reach ages of 10 - 15 years. CD-ROM "Zoos in Deutschland" If you like to get further information on the Eurasian river otter, have a look at the

50. Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park - River Otters Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park is the home river otters. Homosassa creatures!!North American river otters Scientific Name Lutra canadensis. http://www.hsswp.com/animals/otter.html

51. River Otters NORTH AMERICAN river otters. Introduction, Species Cards, Gallery. INTRODUCTION.river otters (Lutra canadensis) are a vanishing species native to Illinois. GALLERY. http://www.hensonrobinsonzoo.org/home_f.html

NORTH AMERICAN RIVER OTTERS Introduction Species Cards Gallery INTRODUCTION River otters ( Lutra canadensis ) are a vanishing species native to Illinois. GALLERY Because full size photographs may take some time to load, we provide you here with thumbnails of the photographs available. A short description and the approximate size of the file is given. Click on the thumbnail to see the full size photograph. To return to this page press the back button on your browser. Enjoy! River otter (40K; photograph by Karen Lommler) Virtual Tour Henson Robinson Zoo Homepage Last update: Monday, 20 October, 1997 16:21:44 ; Maintained by

52. WildWNC.org : Animals : RIVER OTTER DESCRIPTION river otters are long, muscular, and very streamlined animals,well adapted for their aquatic existence. river OTTER Lutra canadensis. http://wildwnc.org/af/riverotter.html

Full Size Image - 95K INFORMATION LINKS Otternet GENERAL INFORMATION The River Otter is an aquatic member of a group of animals known as Mustelids. Other Western North Carolina mustelids are the skunk, weasel, and mink. Members of this family are characterized by the presence of strong-smelling anal glands which are used for communication between individuals and sometimes for defense. DESCRIPTION River Otters are long, muscular, and very streamlined animals, well adapted for their aquatic existence. The brown to brownish-gray fur is short and water repellent. The ears are small and lie flat against the side of the head. An otter's feet are strongly webbed and the tail is long and rudder-like. A clear, third eyelid, called a nictitating membrane, covers the otter's eyes when swimming underwater. This gives protection to the eye but allows the otter to see clearly. A typical adult otter weighs between 1 1 and 23 pounds and can measure 3 to 4 feet in length. RIVER OTTER Lutra canadensis HABITS AND HABITATS HISTORY MEET OUR OTTERS This article may be reproduced for classroom use by students and educators but may not be reprinted otherwise without written consent from the Nature Center.

53. GOTTA LOVE RIVER OTTERS! GOTTA LOVE river otters! OTTER FACTS YOU OUGHT TO KNOW SCIENTIFIC NAMELutra Canadensis; LIFESPAN 14.5 years in captivity; river otters. http://www.angelfire.com/ky2/forestfriends/otter.html

var cm_role = "live" var cm_host = "angelfire.lycos.com" var cm_taxid = "/memberembedded" GOTTA LOVE RIVER OTTERS! OTTER FACTS YOU OUGHT TO KNOW SCIENTIFIC NAME: Lutra Canadensis LIFESPAN: 14.5 years in captivity DISTRIBUTION: Throughout the U.S. and Canada COLOR: Rich brown fur on upper body, fur with silver sheen on underside. LITTER SIZE: Litters of 1-5 kits born in April -May. HABITAT: On lakes, rivers and streams RESIDENCE: Dens dug into banks with entrances underwater. RIVER OTTERS There are few things in life more joyful than watching an otter just being an otter. They are playful (like their sea otter cousins), quick moving, and graceful in the water. River otters have a rich brown fur which is water repellant. The belly has a silvery sheen. There are 4 mammae. Otter tails are fur covered, wide at the base but tapering down to a tip. Otter's feet are webbed but with 5 distinct toes and a footpad on each foot. Otters possess 36 teeth with which they dine on fish, frogs, crayfish and other aquatic invertabrates. Otters make their homes in "dens" borrowed into banks of rivers, lakes and ponds. Entrances are underwater. Otters usually confine themselves within a homerange of 15 miles.

54. ADW: Lontra Canadensis: Information North American river otters once occurred throughout Canada and the United States,except for areas of southern California, New Mexico, and Texas, and the http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Lontra_canadensi

Overview News Conditions of Use ADW Staff ... Home Kingdom Animalia Phylum Chordata Subphylum Vertebrata Class Mammalia Order Carnivora Family Mustelidae Subfamily Lutrinae Species Lontra canadensis Lontra canadensis (northern river otter) Information Pictures Specimens Classification editLink('skunkworks/.accounts/de093655-ea95-485c-8deb-9d753d03ac8e') 2004/05/18 14:41:58.550 GMT-4 By Tanya Dewey and Eric J. Ellis Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Subphylum: Vertebrata Class: Mammalia Order: Carnivora Family: Mustelidae Subfamily: Lutrinae Genus: Lontra Species: Lontra canadensis Geographic Range North American river otters once occurred throughout Canada and the United States, except for areas of southern California, New Mexico, and Texas, and the Mohave desert of Nevada and Colorado. In Mexico they are found in the delta areas of the Rio Grande and Colorado river. These otters are now rare or locally extinct throughout much of the eastern, central, and southern United States. Biogeographic Regions: nearctic native Habitat North American river otters are found anywhere there is a permanent food supply and easy access to water. They can live in freshwater and coastal marine habitats, including rivers, lakes, marshes, swamps, and estuaries. River otters can tolerate a variety of environments, including cold and warmer latitudes and high elevations. North American river otters seem to be sensitive to pollution and disappear from areas with polluted waters. North American river otters build dens in the burrows of other mammals, in natural hollows, such as under a log, or in river banks. Dens have underwater entrances and a tunnel leading to a nest chamber that is lined with leaves, grass, moss, bark, and hair.

55. River Otter river Otter. Lontra canadensis This stocky 13.5 kg. river otters have thethick lustrous fur characteristic of amphibious mammals. Wary in http://www.nature.ca/notebooks/english/rivotter.htm

River Otter Lontra canadensis This stocky, muscular member of the weasel family is distributed throughout most of North America. They prefer life on the shores of deep, clear rivers, lakes, large marshes, and ocean bays. They attain a maximum length of about 1.4 m and a weight of about 13.5 kg. River Otters have the thick lustrous fur characteristic of amphibious mammals. Wary in the wild, they are, nonetheless, sociable, docile, playful animals and easily domesticated. The European species was once used to catch fish for the table. Primarily nocturnal, otters remain active year round. Their diet consists mainly of fish, but they also eat insects, frogs, and occasionally small mammals such as muskrats. Sometimes falling prey, on land, to wolves and coyotes, the otter’s principal enemies are humans.

56. Eel River Otters Eel river otters. Click thumbnails to see larger images! thumbnailotters1. thumbnail otters2. thumbnail otters3. thumbnail otters4. http://homepage.mac.com/keaka/Otters/

Eel River Otters Click thumbnails to see larger images! Low resolution movie

57. River Otters At Knoxville Zoo river Otter. Range Most parts of North America except for the mid and southwestern parts of the US Regional Studbook for North American river otters. http://www.knoxville-zoo.org/riverotter.htm

Home General Information About Us Zoo Shop ... Zebra Animal Profiles River Otter Lontra canadensis lataxina Order: Carnivora Family : Mustelidae Genus: Lutra Species: canadensis Subspecies: lataxina Gestation : 245-380 days Longevity : Up to 12 years in wild and 21 years in captivity Range : Most parts of North America except for the mid and south western parts of the U.S. Regional Studbook for North American River Otters North American river otters range from solitary to highly social in their behavior. They are normally solitary, only pairing up for a short while during the breeding season. They eat fish, frogs, salamanders, crayfish, crabs and other aquatic invertebrates. River otters live in all types of inland waterways, estuaries and marine coves. Weighing 6 to 30 pounds, and their ears and nostrils can be closed while underwater. River otters can also see equally well above and below the water. River otters swim by moving their hind legs and tail. They can remain underwater for up to 5 minutes. When on land, they can run up to 18 mph. River otters have a thick layer of fat and more dense fur than any other land mammal.

58. Virginia Marine Science Museum - Virginia's Largest Aquarium And Marine Science VA Beach, VA) 800000 gallons of aquariums, live animal habitats, 300 handson exhibits,3D IMAX theater, sharks, sea turtles, stingrays, river otters, and more http://www.vmsm.com/vtourp_rivotters.html

Located in the heart of Owls Creek Marsh Pavilion, the museum's river otter exhibit houses five playful river otters in a 30,000-gallon aquarium and adjoining habitat. Carpeted steps invite visitors to watch the amazing (and never-ending) otter antics through an underwater/overwater viewing window. The museum's five male river otters waddle precariously on land along the mud banks, but once in the water they are agile swimmers. With an extremely curious and inquisitive nature, these sleek mammals have been known to come nose to nose with museum visitors along the glass where even the small are never denied an up-close view! The river-otter exhibit mimics a mud bank, pockmarked by fiddler crab holes and dangling roots. River Otters Lutra canadensis Fun Facts Members of the weasel family, river otters are agile and accomplished hunters, using a keen sense of smell and sensitive whiskers to detect and zero in on prey. At the top of their food chain within their environment, river otters are not terribly particular about their food. They eat fish, frogs, crabs, salamanders or birds. River otters have short, thick legs with webbed feet and claws, as well as short and dense fur.

59. Indiana Division Of Fish And Wildlife By 1942, it is believed that breeding populations of river otters had disappearedfrom the state. BACK. 12 Release sites for river otters in 19951999. http://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/endangered/otter.htm

@import url(/ender/ender.css); Skip Ender Navigation accessIndiana Agency Listing Policies var dir = location.href.substring(0,location.href.lastIndexOf('www.in.gov/')); var url = location.href.substring(dir.length,location.href.length+1); document.write("Text Only") Contact Webmaster Help document.write(ender); Wildlife Diversity Section The river otter project is the most recent endangered species restoration implemented by NEWP. The goal of the project has been to reestablish river otter populations in six Indiana watersheds by the year 2003. To achieve this goal, a total of 303 otters were released in Indiana during the 1995-1999 period. The North American river otter once inhabited aquatic ecosystems throughout Indiana. In the midto late 1800s, unregulated taking and loss of habitat resulted in widespread population declines. By 1942, it is believed that breeding populations of river otters had disappeared from the state. The Indiana DNR upgraded the otter's status to endangered in 1994 in preparation for this project. So, in 1995, 303 river otters were released at

60. Otters And Rivers Project otters are indicators of a healthy river system where the water is relativelyunpolluted, with good fish stocks and some good bankside vegetation. http://www.wildlifetrust.org.uk/durham/OtterProject/Otter.html

Northumbrian Otters and Rivers Project ...Helping to bring otters back to our rivers back to species index On this page: Introduction Current Threats to the Otter The Decline of the Otter Action for Otters and Rivers Why Otters? and the Importance of Wetlands ... For more Information Introduction The Otters and Rivers Project is a network of Project Officers and volunteers based at Wildlife Trusts throughout the UK. The aim of the Otters and Rivers Project is to restore, by 2010, the otter population to it's pre-1960 distribution. The Otters and Rivers Project advocates the natural recolonisation of otter populations through improvements to river and wetland habitats and the promotion of attitudes and activities that will result in the conservation and improvement of these ecosystems. The Northumbrian Otters and Rivers Project (south) is responsible for the projects aims within County Durham and Tees Valley. Within the north east of England there are also Project Officers in Yorkshire and Northumberland. After three years of working towards the recovery of the otter the Northumbrian Otters and Rivers Project finished in March 2002, but Durham Wildlife Trusts commitment to the conservation of wetland habitats and species continues with the support of the Cares Group.

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