Animal Fact Sheet
NORTH AMERICAN RIVER OTTER
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Mustelidae
Genus: Lutra
Species: canadensis
Credit: Zoo Staff
Description:
The North American river otter has a long streamlined body with short legs.
They have stout tails that are flat and thick at the root and tapered at the tip.
Their head is flattened, and they have a broad muzzle with lots of whiskers.
North American river otters have dark brown fur, small ears, and webbed
feet with five toes on each foot.
Size:
Male otters are 30 to 40 inches in length, plus a 12 to 15 inch tail, and they
weigh 10 to 25 pounds. Females are slightly smaller.
Life Span:
They live up to 15 years in the wild and 19 years in captivity.
Diet:
In the wild: fish, frogs, crayfish, birds, eggs and mice.
At the Zoo: feline diet (ground meat with vitamins and minerals added),
carrots, and minnows.
Geographic
Range:
North American river otters are found in Canada and the United States
wherever there is freshwater fish.
Habitat:
They live in rivers and lakes, especially small rivers running to large lakes.
They prefer to live and swim in water that is free from weeds.
Reproduction:
Otters are very solitary animals, except during the mating season (March to
April). Otters mate in the water with a delayed implantation (the embryo
does not attach itself to the uterine wall until about 3 months before birth).
Usually a litter consists of 1 to 5 cubs. They are born blind and toothless.
After 35 days, their eyes open. Mothers stay with their young for about 8
months. The cubs learn to swim at 10 to 12 weeks and are taught by their
mother.
Special
Adaptations:
Otters close their nostrils and ears to keep out the water while they are
fishing underneath the water or ice. They have long, coarse guard hairs that
cover and protect the tightly packed under fur, which traps air and keeps
them warm. A layer of fat beneath the skin provides further insulation.
Otters are near-sighted, which provides them with greater underwater
viewing abilities. Their jaw is extremely powerful and equipped with teeth
to crunch hard on fish parts. Their streamlined body helps them move
quickly through the water. They have stiff whiskers on their snout that are
sensitive to water turbulence when they are searching for their prey.
Because they have a high metabolism (they digest food within 3 hours), their
intake of food is almost constant.
Behavior:
North American river otters are extremely elusive, secretive and always alert
for any sign of disturbance. They express themselves through chirps,
whistles and screams. When frightened or angered, otters emit a musky
odor. They are skilled swimmers and enjoy swimming and playing in the
water. They can swim 7 to 8 miles per hour and can stay underwater for 3 to
6 minutes. Otters hunt primarily during the day. They live in pairs and make
their homes in burrows along the riverbanks. Otters are vulnerable and a bit
clumsy on land. They do not hibernate.
Current Status
in the Wild:
North American river otters are very vulnerable in the wild. They are greatly
affected by pollution, drainage of wetlands, habitat destruction and
trapping.
Related Species: The giant otter and the sea otter.
Where am I in
the Zoo:
Otters are located on a wooden boardwalk that can be accessed when you
walk past monkey island or when you follow the path past the Delta Play
playground in the Children’s Zoo.