Ocean Conservancy, International Coastal Cleanup, Ocean Action Network, Trash Free Seas, Trash Free Seas Alliance and Rippl are registered trademarks of Ocean Conservancy. Get monthly (ish) updates via email from Don Enright. With the help of donors like you, Ocean Conservancy is developing innovative solutions to save our ocean. I’m a compulsive explainer. I've not found any … But instead, I held back and listened to the conversation, thinking back to ten years ago or so when I first saw river otters in the ocean. So glad he made it in there. Preferably on one's lawn furniture or open garage? Learn how your comment data is processed. Almost always swim in a dog paddle, almost never swim on their backs. River otters also reach sexual maturity earlier and are typically able to reproduce sooner than sea otters. Otter spraints are messy smudges with a distinct, not unpleasant smell, and contain bones and fish scale remains. The main difference is that with swimming river otters, you often just see the head and neck, not the full length of the body. One of the rituals that river otters are known for is something called the "otter poop dance." But river otters never got the memo about being river otters. Fluffy fur and husky profile. The river otter is protected and insulated by a thick, water-repellent coat of fur. Long and sleek, it has short legs, webbed feet, and a long tapered tail. Yes, it's a real thing. The otter has a long cylindrical body with a powerful tail, making it ideal for life in the water. First, sea otters are two to three times the size of river otters — and, when at the water’s surface, they float on their backs, while river otters swim belly down like most animals. The fisher, tayra and martens are partially arboreal, while badgers are fossorial.A number of mustelids have aquatic lifestyles, ranging from semiaquatic minks and river otters to the fully aquatic sea otter.The sea otter is one of the few non-primate mammals known to use a tool while foraging. Sea otters are twice the size of river otters, and are never far from the ocean. Female otters in the California region can weigh up to 60 pounds, while males can weigh up to 90 pounds. Also found along the west coast of Scotland. I will google it ;). Otters have more of a curved form in the water, with most of the body and tail riding just beneath the surface. If you’re on a river in the middle of the North American continent, far away from any seaboard: it’s a river otter. We know it can get otterly confusing to differentiate the species, so here are five ways to tell them apart! They will also use the abandoned burrows of other animals including beaver lodges. River otters as a whole look quite similar to weasels. On the surface, at first glance, there may not seem like much of a difference between otters and beavers. The Onion once ran a wonderful headline: “Black lab has best day of his life for 862nd day in a row.” You could easily apply that to river otters. It can defend itself against opponents without getting any wounds. These are river otters. They are 95% aquatic and spend pretty much their entire lives in kelp beds just off the sea shore a kilometre or two. You know, they really appear to love everything they do. Sea otters live in large colonies, but river otters tend to stay in small family groups. We have been seeing them (or one of them, can’t be sure) on the shore of Seneca Lake, of the Finger Lakes, New York. Nice write up Don! Love sea otters? The late great Nyac, a survivor of the Exxon Valdez. Sea otters rarely venture on land, where their movements are awkward and clumsy. Otters are semiaquatic animals that spend a part of their lives on land. 1) are best known for their continuous and playful behavior, their aesthetic value, and the value of their durable, high-quality fur.They have long, streamlined bodies, short legs, and a robust, tapered tail, all … Both types of otters need their coats to form a layer of insulation that traps air to keep them warm, and they certainly need it when areas like the Pacific dip to chilly temperatures that are often between 35° and 60° (and even lower than that as you move up the coast toward Alaska and Canada)! That’s a sea otter, yo. I was just at dogbeach at Vanier Park and 5 “river otters” swam by, stopped to watch the idiot labradors, inluding mine, chasing balls. Amazing as we are over a mile from the ocean. Reports now state that otters inhabit every county in the UK – great news for the otter! I LOVED IT AND SO DID MY 8 yr-old BROTHER!!! So when I’m out for a walk, just minding my own business enjoying the fall colours, and something fantastic happens, I tend to kick into explainer mode. They had just had a very successful fishing trip and were busily devouring a bunch of little flounders or sand dabs. When it comes to distinguishing between river otters and sea otters…well, what is the difference, anyway? The future of many species of Otters has almost been destroyed due to selfishness on the part of humans. They are clumsy on land. Both otters have their own adorable way of caring for their young and making them feel at home, too. This morning, for example. Factors t… Do Otters are land animals? Otters have small, rounded ears, and long sensitive whiskers to help them feel the vibrations of their prey. Please try Ocean Conservancy is a 501(c)3 – Tax ID #23-7245152 – Donations are 100% tax-deductible as allowed by law. Are Otters Dangerous to Humans? Length: Adult river otters are about four to five and one-half feet long, including its 18-inch tail. The sea otter is a mammal of the weasel family well adapted for sea life. A mature male otter weighs 10 to 25 pounds and is 30 to 40 inches in length, plus a 12- to 15-inch tail. While the females are similarly much smaller than the males at 10-20 pounds, male river otters only reach a maximum size of around 30 pounds. While sea and river otters are deemed federally illegal due to the Marine Mammal Protection Act, Asian small-clawed otters are not covered by the same level of protection. Mobile alerts from Ocean Conservancy. See all courses. Make a note of that snorting. Yet they are vastly different animals, and even come from different orders. That physique lends itself to a kind of slinky-like locomotion on land, and you can see a brief clip of it here. General description: The otter is perfectly suited for an aquatic life. Don’t worry about responding. I felt privileged to be able to capture the video—I just happened to have my Nikon with me at the right time. I'll share a video below, you can also find several on Youtube. Their tails are short and not as muscular as river otters. From their curious faces to their charming behaviors, the otters of the world have earned the title of many nature lovers’ favorite creatures. While sea otters use their two webbed hind feet and tail to propel them through the water, the four webbed feet of river otters are what enable them to swim efficiently. For a change. Like most wildlife, otters may be hostile when confronted. They’re even known to wrap their babies in kelp to keep them safe and warm while they’re off hunting, and as the Marine Mammal Center describes, these pups end up bobbing up and down on the surface of the ocean like little corks! The river otter is adapted for both land and water with short legs, webbed toes, and a strong, flattened tail. Great vid and article. At least, not yet; they are slowly recovering from being nearly completely wiped out by the marine fur trade in the early colonial period, and if all goes well for them (and it isn’t going all that great at the moment, apparently) we may see them back here in a few years. River otters also reach sexual maturity earlier and are typically able to reproduce sooner than sea otters. Man, they know how to have fun. Read More about “What is interpretive planning?”…. However, just because an otter is spotted on the coast does not mean it’s a sea otter. On average, river otters have two to three pups per litter with the pups going off on their own after about six months to a year. I'll be integrating your little tid bits into the Beavers and Otters walk I'm doing this Sunday in Stanley Park. Students grades PreK–2 will learn about animals with fun, interactive lessons. We work with parks and museums and science centres and aquariums, to help them plan and produce their programs and exhibits. River Otter (Lutra canadensis) Description The otter is the largest member of the weasel family (Mustelidae) found in South Carolina. In this part of the world, sea otters are found on the west side of Vancouver Island, never here in the Strait of Georgia. We’re dedicated to working with indigenous communities, legislators, scientists and people like you to advocate for science-based solutions to protect this fragile ecosystem. River otters will achieve maturity between the ages of two and three, while female sea otters mature between ages three and five, and males even later between ages five and seven. If you travel further north to areas like the Alaskan seaboard, you could even find males weighing up to 100 pounds! Its height at the shoulder is about 10 inches. The video is awesome! Periodic messages. Terms and Conditions. The face is broad, and the eyes protrude slightly. (and it isn’t going all that great at the moment, apparently), http://calgary.ctvnews.ca/calgary-zoo-celebrates-birth-of-otter-pups-1.1759310, http://stanleyparkecology.ca/ai1ec_event/water-loving-otters-beavers-2/?instance_id=632. The pool is heated, and the staff cannot be nicer. Females are about 25 percent smaller than males. Your email address will not be published. I was rooting so hard for that little guy. Thank you for solving this mystery. Awesome article, thanks! So glad you shared your otter escapade! If your community has stocked triploid grass carp, otters may remove them from the pond. Thank you, it really was an amazing experience and I will definitely be back to see you guys and the Otters! The otter is a member of the order Carnivora. Adult otters measure 35 to 55 inches in length, about one-third of which is tail. They have long, narrow bodies, with long tails and short legs. They travelled the 125 feet from the back of our property in no time at all and in the 35 years I have lived here in west Vancouver I have never seen them in the creek or on the land. Gerry Lunn Exactly except those that frequent bays… you know what those are called. http://stanleyparkecology.ca/ai1ec_event/water-loving-otters-beavers-2/?instance_id=632. I never sell or share my lists. One thing many people don’t realize is just how much larger sea otters are compared to river otters. Thanks Don – great blog. Long, serpentine tail. They hung around for about 5 minutes and then swam off. Burrows may be constructed in the bank or in submerged trees. Your email address will not be published. Here’s the little guy at the culvert, just after his three siblings have disappeared into it: Your writing style is engaging and entertaining. Sea otters: Dark brown with a much lighter head. Land Behavior. Sea otters are mainly native to the northeastern seaboards of the Pacific Ocean, so they aren’t spotted in areas like the East Coast or the Gulf of Mexico. The last little guy of the group was having a heck of a time getting into the culvert and was starting to get pretty stressed about being left behind by his siblings. We have river otters in front of our place and they are such fun to watch, but why do they have to poop on land? Found in both saltwater and freshwater, a river otter lounges around riverbanks and swims with its belly down, keeping the majority of its body submerged below the water. River otter fur ranges from light to dark, rich brown. While members of both otter subtypes love to swim, the swimming behaviors they engage in are quite distinct. Otter anal jelly (Photo: K. McDonald) River otters sometimes dance when they poo. They go wherever the fish are: ponds, lakes, rivers, lagoons, and right into the ocean whenever they want. 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