Sea Otter Facts For Kids The nostrils and ears of sea otters close in the water. They dive in rivers, lakes and streams until they can find a suitable animal to eat, which they then chase. Generally, the male sea otters grows from 3.11 to 4.11 feet in length and weighs around 49 to 99 pounds. Sea Otter Facts For Kids. It's a river otter! The otters at Durrell are Asian small-clawed otters who live in lakes, rivers, rice fields and canals in SE Asia. Much of their food is found in water. It’s one of the things … The males of this subspecies weigh around 65 pounds while females are 45 pounds in weight. This fur is so thick … Their thick and long tail helps them steer while swimming underwater. There are 13 types of otters in the world. This traps a layer of air which keeps them dry and warm under water.They keep the air topped up by blowing into the fur with their mo… The northern sea otters can weigh as much as 100 pounds. They are now recovering strongly. Otters can dive 300 feet down in water while looking for food. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. Otters are fun creatures to watch and they are highly intelligent. Otters are long and slim animals that can be longer than a meter. They are typically 3 to 5 feet (1 to 1.5 meters) long and weigh between 6.5 and 60 pounds (3 and 27 kilograms). There are 13 species of otter around the world and many of them are endangered. Not all otters use tools, but sea otters use them all the time. Otter babies are called pups. If the animal has a hard shell, otters can use a rock as a tool to break open the shell. An otter family will defend a territory and use scent to mark the territory boundaries. So, their mother leaves them floating while … Fun Facts for Kids. Unlike other otter … They even love to live in swamp and marsh areas. Sea otters play a vital role in the health and stability of the nearshore marine ecosystem as a keystone species Sea otters live in the northern Pacific Ocean, along the coasts of California, Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Russia and Japan. They typically use … The North American river otter, also known as the northern river otter or the common otter, is a species of otter. Watch a music video about a sleepy little otter featuring a song by Parry Gripp! They will eat any small animals and birds they can catch. There are many different kinds of otters. Otter is a common name for a carnivorous mammal in the subfamily Lutrinae. Otters are carnivores; they must eat a lot of meat to live, so they spend 3 to 5 hours every day fishing and hunting. They hunt underwater, skillfully chasing fish, their main food. Fun Facts for Kids. They live along the Pacific coast of North America. Otters are very social creatures. Some content of the original page may have been edited to make it more suitable for younger readers, unless otherwise noted. What they look like: The River Otter is built for swimming - they have a streamlined body, short legs with webbed feet, dense fur that keeps them warm, a tapered tail, small ears, and nostrils that can close underwater. Otters have a slender body, a long neck, and short legs. Sea otters have about 26,000 to 165,000 hairs per square centimeters of skin. The fur of a sea otter is usually dark but it can also be shades of white or grey. They frequently carry a rock in a pouch under their forearm. River otters generally live along rivers, as their name implies, but they're also found near streams and lakes. These animals are most active from 10-11 am and from 3-5 pm. On they ground, they can run very fast. They are great swimmers and divers; they can stay underwater for 8 minutes. The European otter (Lutra lutra) was common as recently as the 1950s, but became rare because of DDT pesticides, habitat loss and water pollution. Giant Otters are the largest member of the weasel family (Mustelidae), can easily reach 6 feet in length and weigh over 30 kg. Otters prefer to live in bodies of water that are close to land offering them wetlands or the woods close by. Because they spent so much time in cold water, they have to groom their fur often to stop themselves from freezing. They groom their fur so it stays water-repellent. Otters are most active at night. They are, http://www.seaworld.org/animal-info/info-books/otters/physical-characteristics.htm, https://wiki.kidzsearch.com/w/index.php?title=Otter&oldid=4989524. Otters are very playful animals and have been seen sliding down snowdrifts or mud banks on their bellies. They are expert swimmers and spend much of their time hunting for prey in water, where they catch mainly fish and invertebrates. Fun Facts About Otter. Sea otter is the heaviest mustelid with the weight measuring at 22 – 45 kg (49 – 99 lb) in males; and the length measures around 1.2 – 1.5 m (3 ft 10 in to 4 ft 10 in). They eat fish, crayfish, crabs, and frogs. They’ve been around for more than 5 million years. Sea otters are incredibly clean and keep their waterproof coats in perfect condition. They grow to 1.0 to 1.5 m (3.3 to 4.9 ft) in length and weigh 30 kg (66 lb). In the wild, these otters eat crabs, shellfish and small fish like gouramis or catfish. They also leave their scent on plants to mark their territory. Otters are aquatic (water-based) relatives of badgers and weasels. Most live on shorelines of freshwater rivers and lakes, but a few hunt along seaside coasts. As they dive, they close their ears and nostrils to keep water out. They usually stay on all four legs, but they can stand up as well but they are expert swimmers and spend a lot of time in water. Giant otters are endemic (live only there and nowhere else) for the South America, and they can be found in the Orinoco, Amazon and La Plata River systems. Otters are carnivores; they must eat a lot of meat to live, so they spend 3 to 5 hours every day fishing and hunting. This makes them one of the few animals that use tools. An otter pup's fur is too dense for it to swim underwater. Fun Facts about Otters for Kids. This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about otters across 18 in-depth pages. Giant otter belongs to a family of carnivorous mammals called mustelid. Otters place a rock on their chests and smash the shellfish against it until it breaks open to reveal the tasty meat inside. Giant otters produce 9 different vocalizations and are very loud. Their historic range included shallow waters of the Bering Strait. Clearly, otters know how to have fun! They can die of hunger more quickly than most animals. The charismatic otter, a member of the weasel family, is found on every continent except Australia and Antarctica. Sea otters rest and sleep by floating on their backs. This page was last changed on 29 September 2020, at 11:12. Giant ottters are very sociable animals and often live in groups of up … They are a part of the animal family Mustelid. They live in nests called holts. Otters are animals that live near and around water. These are ready-to-use Otter worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the otters which are carnivorous mammals in the subfamily Lutrinae. Otters are playful and energetic. Otter Worksheets. Giant Otter Facts. A group of otters is called a raft, according to the San Diego Zoo. So, before you go, here’s everything you need to know about what makes Giant Otters so special. It is found throughout North America, inhabiting inland waterways and coastal areas in Canada, the Pacific Northwest, the Atlantic states, and the Gulf of Mexico. When the otters catch large fish, they haul them onto shore to dine. Few sea otter species emerge on land either for giving birth or for resting. Otters have been around for at least 5 million years. They have a thick fur coat that keeps them warm even in freezing water. They take a nap at mid-day during really warm weather. The size of the California (or southern) sea otters is about 4 feet. They have four short legs. They usually stay on all four legs, but they can stand up as well but they are expert swimmers and spend a lot of time in water. Otters are adorable creatures that live both on land and in the water. An otter lives about 10 years. Otters are part of the Mustelid family of animals which also includes badgers, pine martens and weasels. If the animal has a hard shell, otters can u… It is also known as the Guiana flat-tailed otter, margin-tailed otter and winged-tailed otter. They have very soft, insulated underfur, which is protected by an outer layer of long guard hairs. They can grow to be more than a meter long, from head to tail, and weight up to 14 kg. They eat meat and hunt for fish and small animals, so they have sharp claws and teeth that allow them to catch prey, then eat them. Amazing Facts About the Otter. All rights reserved. Hunting of otters was also common. Currently the southern sea otter population is estimated at just above 3,000 animals. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use Privacy Policy. They eat fish, shellfish, and other water animals. Otters are long and slim animals with four short legs that can be longer than a meter. They prefer slow-moving rivers, lakes, swamps and flooded forests during the rainy season. Scientists have also learnt a whole lot more from otters including these five fast facts: There are 13 species of otter. During which time otters have adapted to live both on land and in water. Once they catch it, they bring it to the top of the water, where they eat it. This traps a layer of air which keeps them dry and warm under water. Sea otters (Enhydra lutris) are classified as marine mammals. Otters grab their prey in their mouths. A raft is usually comprised of single-sex sea otters that can range from 10 to a hundred individuals. Top Facts about Otters. The European or Eurasian otter is often referred to as the common otter. Otters are very playful: Don’t be surprised when you see otters happily sliding. They eat fish, crayfish, crabs, and frogs. It also included Kamchatka, and as far south as Japan. River Otter Facts: Lesson for Kids | Study.com Who is shaped like a torpedo, has whiskers like a cat, and has webbed feet like a duck? Some live near rivers, some in the sea (sea otters). It can be fun to test out your knowledge as you go. While river otters spend most of their time in water, they do travel across land as well—often in search of a mate. Much of their food is found in water. They stayed relatively common in parts of Scotland and Ireland, but numbers in England reached a low point in the 1980s. They run a few steps and then slide on their bellies. Roadkill deaths are now happening more. They like to slide off embankments into the water, wrestle, chase their tails and participate in other fun games. Otters live on every continent except for Australia and Antarctica. They use this to smash open shells. GIANT OTTERS ARE SUPER CHATTY. They are also very curious and like to investigate new things.Otters spend a good part of their day grooming themselves. They can die of hunger more quickly than most animals. Their tail is over a foot long Otters prefer water bordered by woods and with wetlands, such as marshes, nearby. There are 13 species of otter found all around the world. Once they catch it, they bring it to the top of the water, where they eat it. The Giant otter was discovered by Gmelin in 1788. Otters talk to other animals and otters with whistles, growls, chuckles and screams, as well as chirps, squeals, and some kinds of otters might even purr. However, sea otters are typically marine mammals. A group of otters is called a "romp", because they play together and are energetic. The female sea otters are smaller as they grow up to 4.7 feet in length and weigh up to 73 pounds. They have webbed feet and the ability to close their nose and ears underwater. They can be seen sliding down hills and slopes, as well as chasing other otters for fun. Also, their feet are webbed, which helps them swim. Did you know… Otters are carnivores? They also love to play. 2021 National Geographic Partners, LLC. [1] They keep the air topped up by blowing into the fur with their mouth. They are also nocturnal and hunt at night. Some kinds of otters live in groups, while others are almost always alone. Can otters use tools? Sea otters use rocks to break open clam and mussel shells. I recently found out that sea otters fall asleep holding paws and my heart has never been so full. A group of otters are called a 'bevy', 'family', 'lodge', or 'romp', or, when in water the group is called a … Otters prefer water bordered by woods and with wetlands, such as marshes, nearby. Their fur is often brown at the top, and lighter underneath the Otter. At birth, the weight of a pup is 3 to 5 pounds. Although once near extinction, they have begun to spread again, from remnant populations in California and Alaska. In 2014, a study of giant otters found that the river-dwellers … Otters are great swimmers and divers. Flexing their long bodies up and down, paddling with their webbed hind feet, and using their feet and strong tails to steer, river otters are underwater acrobats. Do giant otters live in a group? They have very soft, insulated underfur, which is protected by an outer layer of long guard hairs. [2] They have a rich fur for which humans hunted them almost to extinction. They will eat any small animals and birds they can catch. Content of this web page is sourced from wikipedia ( http://simple.wikipedia.org). Sea Otter Facts. They have a thick fur coat that keeps them warm even in freezing water. Otters live 8 to 9 years in the wilderness, and as many as 21 years when living with people. Most of us don’t know much about them so here are some facts to help you educate yourself about them. Sea otters wrap themselves in kelp or hold hands when sleeping to prevent drifting. Otters even make their land travel look playful. https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/river-otter.html. Some of the best known are the giant otter, the sea otter, the European otter, the Northern river otter among others. Otters love fish. Each European otter within its territory of between 1 and 4 miles has fixed locations where it gets into and exits from the water, sunbathing, rolling and sliding about on "otter stairways". © 1996-2015 National Geographic Society, © 2015- They are able to stay well hidden in these types of environments which makes them less like to fall victim to a variety of predators on land. Otters like to hold hands. They dive in rivers, lakes and streams until they can find a suitable animal to eat, which they then chase. California’s southern sea otter has been listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act since 1977. Otters consume mainly … They can stay underwater for up to four minutes. Otters are closely related to badgers. Otters are now quite common, especially in the west of England. Flexing their long bodies up and down, paddling with their … Spread again, from remnant populations in California and Alaska well as chasing other otters for fun underwater for to. 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