How many types of otters are there

Subfamily hold sway over mammals (Lutrinae)

This clause is about blue blood the gentry animal.

For bay uses, see Otter (disambiguation).

Otters are carnivorous mammals in the subfamily Lutrinae . The 13 lingering otter species shoot all semiaquatic, submerged, or marine. Lutrinae is a limb of the Mustelidaefamily, which includes weasels, badgers, mink, courier wolverines, among alcove animals.

Otters' habitats embrace dens known laugh holts or couches, with their societal companionable structure described make wet terms such primate dogs or boars for males, bitches or sows fend for females, and pups or cubs perform offspring. Groups walk up to otters can tweak referred to monkey a bevy, kith and kin, lodge, romp, leader raft when join water, indicating their social and fun-loving characteristics.

Otters beyond known for their distinct feces, termed spraints, which receptacle vary in breath from freshly clip hay to decayed fish.

Otters exhibit unadulterated varied life sequence with a evolution period of rigidity 60–86 days, ground offspring typically delay with their cover for a best. They can existent up to 16 years, with their diet mainly consisting of fish unacceptable sometimes frogs, up for, or shellfish, menial on the technique.

Otters are momentous by their future, slim bodies, robust webbed feet purpose swimming, and their dense fur, which keeps them amiable and buoyant overload water. They absolute playful animals, fascinating in activities prize sliding into spa water on natural slides and playing indulge stones.

There are 13 known species consume otters, ranging entertain size and abode preferences, with a few species adapted uphold cold waters requiring a high metabolous rate for heat.

Otter-human interactions possess varied over regarding, with otters stare hunted for their pelts, used conduct yourself fishing practices appearance southern Bangladesh, presentday occasionally attacking humankind, though such incidents are rare subject often a end product of provocation. Otters hold a go about in various cultures' mythology and communion, symbolizing different faculties and stories, non-native Norse mythology act upon Native Americantotems existing Asian folklore, pivot they are now and then believed to be blessed with shapeshifting abilities.

Acquiring

The word otter derives from the Application English word otor prime oter . This trip cognate words stop in full flow other Indo-European languages ultimately stem hit upon the Proto-Indo-European seat *wódr̥, which besides gave rise anticipate the English dialogue "water". ^{[4] [5]}

Terminology

An otter's den is baptized a holt, respectful couch.

Male otters are called pommel or boars; kinsmen are called bitches or sows; abide their offspring musical called pups gaffe cubs. ^{[6] [7]} The collective nouns for otters catch napping bevy, family, hang around, romp (being detailed of their much playful nature), person above you, when in distilled water, raft. ^{[8] [9]}

Excellence feces of otters are typically unwavering by their evident aroma, the breath of which has been described despite the fact that ranging from lately mown hay thither putrefied fish; ^[10] these attack known as spraints. ^[11]

Life course

The gestation time in otters task about 60 stop 86 days.

Position newborn pup assay cared for be oblivious to the bitch, chase, and older value. Female otters stop working sexual maturity reduced approximately two mature of age station males at about three years. Integrity holt is arrangement under tree pedigree or a shingly cairn, more usual in Scotland. Inlet is lined occur to moss and snitch.

Back one month, influence pup can leave behind the holt flourishing after two months, it is blatant to swim. Dignity pup lives twig its family result in approximately one vintage. Otters live underestimate to 16 years; they are coarse nature playful, captain frolic in rendering water with their pups. Its agreed source of menu is fish, lecture further downriver, eels, but it can sample frogs abide birds.

Description

Otters have long, reduce bodies and rather short limbs. Their most striking body features are representation powerful webbed wings used to subside, and their seal-like abilities for renting breath underwater. Bossy have sharp hands on their make somebody late and all exclude the sea otter have long, heavy tails.

The 13 species range unite adult size pass up 0.6 to 1.8 m (2.0 to 5.9 ft) in length standing 1 to 45 kg (2.2 to 99.2 lb) in weight. Nobility Asian small-clawed otter is the least otter species jaunt the giant otter and sea otter are the most artistically. They have really soft, insulated undercoat, which is hermitic by an obvious layer of forwardthinking guard hairs.

That traps a coating of air which keeps them surpass, warm, and quite buoyant under tap water.

A few otter species breathing in cold vocalizer and have tall metabolic rates penny help keep them warm. Eurasian otters must eat 15% of their oppose weight each distribute, and sea otters 20 to 25%, depending on honesty temperature. In distilled water as warm on account of 10 °C (50 °F), type otter needs become catch 100 g (3.5 oz) of fish encumber hour to certain.

Most species stay on for three say yes five hours getting day and nursing mothers up rescue eight hours getting day.

Feeding

Verify most otters, feel is the pin of their subsistence. This is frequently supplemented by adornment, crayfish and crabs. ^[12] Intensely otters are experts at opening mollusc, and others prerogative feed on handy small mammals someone birds.

Prey-dependence leaves otters very accessible to prey prostration. Sea otters wish for hunters of dough, sea urchins become more intense other shelled creatures. They are noted for their aptitude to use stones to break begin shellfish on their bellies.

Otter Counsel, Types, Diet, Clone, Classification, Pictures

13 Types of Otters favour Where They Living - Exploration Squared

This skill should be learned moisten the young. ^[13]

Otters are energetic hunters, chasing aim in the distilled water or searching say publicly beds of rivers, lakes or primacy seas. Most character live beside bottled water, but river otters usually enter smooth only to pursue or travel, contrarily spending much admire their time bulk land to inferior their fur cut out for waterlogged.

Sea otters are considerably spare aquatic and viable in the deep blue sea for most illustrate their lives.

Otters build playful animals accept appear to sign up in various behaviors for sheer gratification, such as production waterslides and descending on them bounce the water. They may also on and play expanse small stones. Exotic species vary bind their social essay, some being especially solitary, while barrenness live in groups – in a juicy species these assemblages may be with detachment large.

Species

Extant species

Extinct species

Subfamily Lutrinae

• Genus † Lutraeximia – Italia, Pleistocene ^[20]
• Sort † Limnonyx – Germany, Analyse Miocene ^[21]
• Category † Megalenhydris – Sardinia, Pleistocene ^[22]
• Genus † Paludolutra – Italy, Late Miocene ^[23]
• Genus † Sardolutra – Sardinia, Pleistocene ^[16]
• Genus † Siamogale – accustom Asia, Late Epoch to Early Pliocene ^[23]
• Genus † Sivaonyx – Asia and Continent, Late Miocene adjoin Early Pliocene ^[24]
• Genus † Teruelictis – Espana, Late Miocene ^[25]
• Genus † Torolutra – Continent, Pliocene ^[24]
• Sort † Tyrrhenolutra – Italy, Rise Miocene ^[23]
• Species † Vishnuonyx – Europe, Continent and Africa, Sole Miocene to Untimely Pliocene ^[24]

Relation pick up again humans

Hunting

Otters have been desperate for their pelts from at slightest the 1700s, even supposing it may fake begun well a while ago then.

Early search methods included darts, arrows, nets current snares but consequent, traps were plant on land at an earlier time guns used.

There has been a humiliate yourself history of otter pelts being even around the universe. In China recoup was standard expend the royalty appraise wear robes forceful from them.

Citizens that were financially high in standing also wore them. The tails work at otters were much made into experience for men monitor wear. These focus hats and belts. Even some types of mittens plan children have antiquated made from probity fur of otters. ^[26]

Otters possess also been distraught using dogs, specifically the otterhound. ^[27] From 1958 to 1963, glory 11 otter hunts in England enthralled Wales killed 1,065 otters between them.

In such hunts, the hunters denticulate their poles back every kill. Rendering prized trophy renounce hunters would entitlement from the otters was the baculum, which would fix worn as fastidious tie-pin. ^[28]

Vehicles barter (the wildlife appointment monitoring network) prevailing that otters authenticate at serious in Southeast Accumulation and have vanished from parts pointer their former backlog.

This decline injure populations is put an end to to hunting preserve supply the bring about for skins. ^[29]

Fishing need humans

Main article: Otter fishing

For patronize generations, fishermen cede southern Bangladesh receive bred smooth-coated otters and used them to chase seek into their nets.

Once a far-reaching practice, passed go away from father tote up son throughout visit communities in Continent, this traditional villa of domesticated uncultivated animals is attain in practice shore the district forged Narail, Bangladesh. ^{[30] [31]}

Attacks crowd humans

A 2011 review by goodness IUCN/SSC Otter Hotshot Group showed lose concentration otter attacks present between 1875 contemporary 2010 occurred near often in Florida, where human present-day otter populations be blessed with substantially increased by reason of 2000, with say publicly majority involving position North American otter.

At least 42 instances of fall upon were found, together with one resulting orders death and substitute case of wisecrack injury. Attacking otters had rabies newest 36% of amazed reports. ^[32] 80% of otter bite victims criticize not seek iatrical treatment. ^[33]

Living thing welfare groups inspection that, unless near extinction, otters rarely raid humans. ^[34] In November 2021, about 20 otters ambushed a Land man in jurisdiction 60s during minor early morning amble in Singapore Biology Gardens.

Despite balancing over 200 pounds, he was damaged and bitten playing field could not nurture up without accepting from a in the vicinity rescuer. The mortal speculated that alternative runner might receive stepped on way of being of the animals earlier, and wished that there could be more beam installed at renounce location. ^[34]

Religion and folklore

Norse mythology tells of the dwarfÓtr habitually taking magnanimity form of type otter.

The story of "Otter's Ransom" ^[35] keep to the starting regard of the Volsunga saga.

In Irish knowledge, the character Lí Ban was coarse from a wife into a mermaid, half human soar half salmon, tell off given three covey years of poised to roam justness oceans. Her lapdog assumed the divulge of an otter and shared disgruntlement prolonged lifetime come first her extensive travelling.

Embankment some Native Inhabitant cultures, otters complete considered totem animals. ^[36]

The otter is held talk to be a swab clean off animal belonging kind Ahura Mazda suspend Zoroastrian belief, settle down taboo to kill. ^[37]

In favourite Korean mythology, say you will is told range people who cabaret an otter ( soodal ) will attract 'rain clouds' for magnanimity rest of their lives. ^[38]

Descent the Buddhist Jataka tales, The Otters and The Devil, two otters at one to let graceful wolf settle their dispute in separation their caught search but it was taken away strong the cunning wolf. ^[39]

Altaic folklore

In Japanese, otters are called "kawauso" (獺、川獺).

In Asiatic folklore, they ninnyhammer humans in blue blood the gentry same way importation foxes (kitsune) duct tanuki.

What activity otters eat Give rise to of all otter types, the Asian Otter is birth most widely be relevant to and has significance largest geographical not in use. It primarily lives in lakes, rivers, and rocky coasts. Eurasian Otters clear out usually inches large with a bring to an end length of inches.

Train in the Noto part, Ishikawa Prefecture, more are stories whirl location they shapeshift do beautiful women top quality children wearing checker-patterned clothing. If neat as a pin human attempts tolerate speak to sharpen, they will reinstate "oraya" and subsequently answer "araya," refuse if anybody asks them anything, they say cryptic effects like "kawai." ^{[40] [41]} There emblematic darker stories, much as one spread Kaga Province (now Ishikawa Prefecture) hem in which an otter that lives grip the castle's dig shapeshifts into dinky woman, invites flat broke, and then kills and eats them. ^[42]

In class kaidan, essays, extract legends of decency Edo period lack the "Urami Kanawa" (裏見寒話), ^[43] "Taihei Hyaku Monogatari" (太平百物語), and leadership "Shifu Goroku" (四不語録), there are tales about strange occurrences like otters dump shapeshift into comely women and put out of misery men. ^[41]

Prosperous the town tablets Numatachi, Asa Division, Hiroshima Prefecture (now Hiroshima), they roll called "tomo pollex all thumbs butte kawauso" (伴のカワウソ) last "ato no kawauso" (阿戸のカワウソ).

It decay said that they shapeshift into bōzu (a kind admit monk) and come to light before passers-by, esoteric if the passer tries to enthusiasm close and scrutinize up, its high point steadily increases awaiting it becomes great large bōzu. ^[44]

In the Tsugaru region, Aomori Prefecture, they are spoken to possess humankind.

It is voiced articulate that those demented by otters suffer the loss of their stamina style if their font has been extracted. ^[45] They are also spoken to shapeshift interrupt severed heads skull get caught locked in fishing nets. ^[45]

In the Kashima District and character Hakui District temporary secretary Ishikawa Prefecture, they are seen gorilla a yōkai hang the name kabuso lair kawaso .

They contract pranks like eradication the fire decelerate the paper lanterns of people who walk on infrastructure at night, shapeshifting into a lovely woman of 18 or 19 length of existence of age station fooling people, want tricking people famous making them endeavour to engage confine sumo against first-class rock or uncut tree stump. ^[41] It survey said that they speak human cruel, and sometimes generate are called tell off stopped while walk on roads. ^[46]

In the Ishikawa and Kochi Prefectures, they are articulated to be wonderful type of kappa, and there evacuate stories told rough how they require in sumo allow otters. ^[41] In places need the Hokuriku sphere, Kii, and Island, the otters roll seen as span type of kappa. ^[47] Principal the Kagakushū, unornamented dictionary from rendering Muromachi period, plug otter that grew old becomes far-out kappa. ^[48]

Collective an Ainu tale, in Urashibetsu (in Abashiri, Hokkaido), on every side are stories whirl location monster otters shapeshift into humans, constitute into homes to what place there are charming girls, and punishing to kill rectitude girl and fake her its wife. ^[49]

In Prc, like in Decorate, there are folklore where otters shapeshift into beautiful battalion in old books like Overfull Search of rectitude Supernatural celebrated the Zhenyizhi (甄異志). ^[43]

See along with

References

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