They have quicker reflexes than anacondas, are better swimmers than crocodiles, and eat piranhas for breakfast. This animal catches its own food and consumes it immediately. The velvety feel of this animal is highly demanded by fur traders and has contributed to its decline. The giant otter needs to eat 6½lb (3kg) of fish each day. They spend their first month in a den, which is usually located underground. Unlike most other otters, the giant otter has a flat, paddlelike tail to help it swim. Introduction to Otters. Giant Otter is relatively territorial and peaceful but has also been found to be aggressive in some groups of this species. This animal makes its cave on the banks of the river and gives birth inside the wet. The prey species found for the Giant Otter were also sedentary and usually only swim short distances. Giant otter have small ears and nostrils which close each time they dive under water. Pregnancy lasts 64 to 72 days, and female gives birth between one and six babies. Giant otters have dense, velvety and thick brown fur which is water repellent (prevents water from reaching the skin). Atypical of mustelids, the giant otter is a social species, with family groups typically supporting three to eight members. Copyright © 2020. thenicee.com - All Rights Reserved | Sitemap. Males weigh up to 90 lbs. Giant otters are members of the weasel family. Many people find this particular Otter to be different in size and shape from others. It can grow up to 2.4m (8ft) long from nose to tail. Giant Otter is opportunistic and is also widely fed in the local area. Today we are going to talk about Giant Otter. Captive Asian small-clawed otters in the snow (Amblonyx cinereus) © Ben Queenborough/Getty 2 Number of giant otters dropped drastically in the last couple of years due to extensive hunting (their fur is highly valuable in the fashion industry) and because of river pollution (heavy metals such as mercury are highly poisonous for otters). It grows from 4.9 to 5.9 feet (1.5 to 1.8 meters) long. Giant otter has 3.25 - … The Giant Otter is perfect for aquatic life and can close its ears and nose when underwater. I guess this just goes to show that even the best predators still need to be careful. It feeds mainly on fish and crabs, which it tracks down with its sensitive whiskers. Giant otters are the largest of any otter in the world growing up to 1.8m. Though it is the largest, it isn’t the heaviest. Otters are generally considered to be small and fluffy animals, but there are 11 other species of otter. They prefer slow-moving rivers, lakes, swamps and flooded forests during the rainy season. They make 22 different noises that refer to 22 different situations. They swim 9 miles per hour and pass distance of 330 feet in 30 seconds. Males can reach lengths of 1.8 meters (about 71 inches, or 5.9 feet) from their noses to the tip of their tails and can weigh between 20 and 30 kilograms … Giant Otter's estrus circle is about 21 days long while the female species of Giant Otter is receptive to the sexual purpose of 3-10 males. Giant otters live in small family groups of 3-10 animals. Living in an environment with the highest biodiversity in the world, Giant Otters have no natural predators. The giant otter is the largest and the second heaviest (the sea otter is the heaviest) of the Mustelidae or weasel family. Otters are adorable creatures that live both on land and in the water. The giant otter or giant river otter (Pteronura brasiliensis) is a South American carnivorous mammal. They prefer areas with stable river banks for them to make their dens, which are dug into the mud of the bank sides. The largest otter is the giant otter. 10 Interesting Facts About Otters Otters in a row Otters are carnivorous mammals with thick fur and webbed feet. Early passenger reports describe noisy giant otter groups around the researchers' boats, but little scientific information on the species was available until the duplex became operational in the late 1970s. There are 13 species of otter found all around the world. The Giant Otter's guard hairs are about 8 millimeters long and are twice the length of the inner coat's fur. Giant otters are short and opaque and give their heads a ball-shaped appearance. The male species of Giant Otter is between 1.5 and 1.7 m in length from head to tail and the female species is between 1 and 1.5 m. The well-muscled tail of the Giant Otter can add a further 70 cm to the total body length. Some sea otters might get heavier. Early reports of live animals and skins indicate exceptionally large males of 2.4 m. Males of Giant Otter weigh 26 to 32 kg and females 22 and 26 kg. Giant Otter's life in captivity could be extended to 17 years. The longest documented Giant Otter in the wild is 8 years old. Giant otters have well developed sense of sight, used primarily for the hunting. These animals hunt in groups and rely on sharp sight to find the prey of the Giant Otter. The distribution of the Giant Otter has been greatly reduced and is now contradictory. The fur of the Giant Otter is very genes and so water cannot penetrate the skin. Giant otters live in groups composed of 3 to 10 animals, formed by the monogamous couple (mother and father) and few generations of their offspring. Among the endangered are the sea otters along the Californian to Alaskan coasts, which are threatened by "environmental pollutants and disease agents." Even with little predators the Giant Otter is slowly losing the battle of survival. In Giant Otter, fish from the Cichlids in particular were found in 97% of skates and features such as 86%. Seeing the signs of otters is far easier than seeing the animals themselves. Unlike … In terms of otters, the giant one has the shortest coat and its range … Giant otters are the largest of any otter in the world growing up to 1.8m. Otters are adorable creatures that live both on land and in the water. 10 Fun Facts About Otters 04 th March 18 To celebrate the launch of our new SS18 collection featuring adorable otters, we’re giving you 10 fun facts about our furry sea friends for your little ones to share when they're wearing their new JoJo Tee! Giant Otter cubs are born in dens underground and only learn to swim when they are around 2 months old. This Otter is the longest member of the weasel family. This type of species exceptionally shows various adaptations to amphibian lifestyles, including dense fur, winged tails, and webbed legs. This animal is amphibian and mainly terrestrial. Giant otter has 3.25 - 4.5 feet in length and weights between 49-71 pounds. Giant river otters grow to be about 70 pounds (31 kilograms), says the Nature Conservancy. The Giant Otter's nose is completely covered in fur and has only two slit-like nostrils. Giant otters are short and opaque and give their heads a ball-shaped appearance. Each Giant Otter family was shown to have their own unique audio signature. Giant otters are found living on river forests, flood-mixed mixed marsh and swan swamp forests, low-flood marsh forests and grassy islands and meadows on an important bay in Suriname. It is the longest member of the weasel family, Mustelidae, a globally successful group of predators, reaching up to 1.7 metres (5.6 ft). Sea otters eat sea urchins & other invertebrates that graze on giant kelp. The Giant Otter hunts primarily by sight. Giant otters live 12 years in the wild and up to 21 years in captivity. Some sea otters might get heavier. After two or three weeks after they are born, mother puts babies in the water where they learn to swim. The remains of the fish were of a medium-sized species that prefers relatively shallow water for the benefit of this potential oyster. The Giant Otter catches their prey and consumes it immediately and eats up to 10% of their weight. Giant Otter research is usually done in the dry season and the overall understanding of Giant Otter's use of accommodation remains partial. Giant Otter's newborn chicks wander to get attention and growl when older teens begin to participate in group activities. For that reason they are often mistaken for another type of animal. The giant otters are mostly found in South America and are common along the Amazon River. They are double the size of world’s smallest otter, the Asian short-clawed otter. These animals are most active from 10-11 am and from 3-5 pm. Groups of about 5 to 10 otters live together in dens or burrows beside a river. Giant otters (Pteronura brasiliensis, or "londra" in Spanish) are also known as the Brazilian otter and flat-tailed otter. Facts about Sea Otter, Giant Otter, European Otter, African Otter and River Otter. There are 13 species of otters, in seven genera, according to Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS). Some of the best known are the giant otter, the sea otter, the European otter, the Northern river otter among others. Pretty cool, pretty terrifying. Giant Otter's Utrecht housing needs and availability are dramatically different in the rainy season. Giant Otter was listed as endangered in 1999 and has a current population of about 5,000. There are a handful of other names for this animal. So let's gather some more information about Giant Otter. A group of four otters emerge from the water to patrol a riverside campsite at Canto State Park. And you definitely don’t want to mess with giant otters, just check out this clip below! These animals hunt in packs and live in groups of extended families. Giant Otter Facts. Giant otters like to talk more than any otter species. In Brazil the Giant Otter is known as ariranha and means water jaguar. On the one hand, adult males are between 5 and 6 feet long and weigh between 70 and 99 pounds and on the other, females measure between 5 and 5 1/2 feet in length and weigh between 48 and 58 pounds. Giant otters wake up during the day making them diurnal. They produce around 9 different types of sounds, such as quick barks, explosive snorts, wavering screams or low growls, to inform other otters about potential danger (alarm sound) or to send aggressive warning. They live mainly on land that is very close to bodies of water. The Giant Otter of the sea can be heavy. Some specimens can be 6 feet long (like adult man), but due to small weight they have streamlined sleek look, which is perfectly adapted to the life in the water. While most otter prefer to hunt alone, giant river otters are social butterflies. Besides humans, main predators of giant otters are jaguars, large anacondas and large caimans. Giant Otter lives in a group of eight members and the group focuses on a strong breeding pair. The hearing of this species is intense and its sense of smell is excellent. Giant Otter mainly feeds on fish like catfish and Characins. The groups are centered on a dominant breeding pair and are extremely cohesive and cooperative. Giant Otter grabs the fish tightly between the forepaws and starts eating with a noise in the head. Their hands are the size of a human palm and they eat snakes, turtles, and other meat. It is the longest of the otter species. 4. This type of species has short fur of all otter species. Giant Otter is currently the biggest threat due to housing degradation and damage. Giant otters grow to … The giant otter has a great sense of smell, keen eyesight, and small ears. According to research, the size of the home range is smaller than that of its mass species in a highly social giant otter. Giant otter belongs to a family of carnivorous mammals called mustelid. They are often mistaken for beavers though. Otters leave spraints in prominent places, such as fallen trees, weirs and bridges, as 'scented messages', helping them to find mates and defend territories. Giant Otters also prey on crabs and small anacondas if fish are not available. They are double the size of world’s smallest otter, the Asian short-clawed otter (below). Giant Otter is susceptible to a variety of diseases, including canine parvovirus. The Giant Otter hunts about 2 feet of shallow water. The Giant Otter can attack from both up and down and grab the prey in the last instant to capture the prey in its jaws. This type of species retains the characteristics of fish and catfish but can also eat turtles, crabs, snakes and small Caymans. Although generally peaceful, the species is territorial, and aggressi… Giant otter has 3.25 - 4.5 feet in length and weights between 49-71 pounds. Hunting in shallow water has also been found to be more beneficial for the Giant Otter which has a water depth of less than 0.6 meters and has the highest success rate. They stay within the family group usually until they reach sexual maturity, at age of 2.5 years. Giant Otter is also rare in giant otter captivity. The Giant Otter makes the chase for prey quick and messy and has lungs and twists through shallow and a few missed targets. This species traps the protective hair and keeps the inner fur dry. Giant otters do not store food. 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