| River otters are amphibious animals that | | | | River otters are omnivores and they eat |
| are related to the weasel family; sea | | | | a variety of insects, birds, |
| otters are their cousins, along with | | | | crustaceans, small mammals and plant |
| mink and wolverines. A river otter has | | | | matter. When an otter cannot finish |
| a strong neck and a jaw that is capable | | | | eating its prey, it will leave the meal |
| of cracking shells of crustaceans plus | | | | for other animals. |
| teeth for ripping meat. An otter has a | | | | Otters are social animals that live in |
| long narrow body with short legs and | | | | groups containing combinations of males |
| webbed hind feet. The otter's tail is | | | | and females. Some groups can have all |
| also useful; it is powerful and it | | | | males, males and females with pups, or |
| pushes the otter from side to side while | | | | females with pups from their current or |
| swimming. The river otter has a soft | | | | previous litter. All of the otters are |
| pelt that it grooms itself; sometimes | | | | friends with one another and fights |
| another otter helps with the grooming, | | | | never occur within a group. Each otter |
| while in a social group. Its thick | | | | goes out and finds its own meal, which |
| undercoat is the bulk of the fur and it | | | | helps reduce the risk of fights over |
| has a thinner guard coat on the outside. | | | | food supplies. Both young and older |
| Its whiskers help sense obstacles while | | | | otters like to play with each another by |
| swimming or while on land. Hearing and | | | | chasing, hiding, swimming and |
| smelling are otters' best senses and | | | | vocalizing; otters spend half their day |
| sight is the poorest; they can see a bit | | | | playing and the other half sleeping. |
| better while underwater. | | | | They sleep piled up on each other and |
| A river otters weigh up to 40 pounds; | | | | once they are all awake, they begin |
| however, their cousin the sea otter can | | | | grooming. |
| reach over 100 pounds. Female otters | | | | An otter is an excellent swimmer and |
| are about a quarter smaller than males | | | | diver; it can reach speeds up to 10 |
| and can reach up to 30 pounds. Otters | | | | miles per hour while swimming on the |
| live to be 20 years old both in | | | | surface or underwater. An otter will |
| captivity and in the wild. | | | | dive underwater for food and swim to 60 |
| Otters live throughout North America and | | | | feet below the surface; it can remain |
| have the ability to hunt in saltwater or | | | | there for several minutes. While on |
| freshwater. Many are found in Alaska on | | | | land, an otter has a great sprint speed, |
| the mainland, but few on the islands. | | | | which reaches 20 miles per hour when it |
| Alaskans do not see them often; however, | | | | runs and slides. When an otter sees a |
| they leave evidence which lets people | | | | human in the wild, it will run for cover |
| know they were around. Slide marks on | | | | and slide into the water. Humans are |
| riverbanks or sprays of urine help them | | | | the main predators of otters due to |
| mark their territories and communicate | | | | trapping; they only have a few enemies |
| with other otters. | | | | in the wild, which are hawks or owls. |