On average, an adult male California sea otter consumes over 4,000 calories daily. The otter is lithe and slender with short legs, a strong neck, and a long flat tail that helps propel it gracefully through water. The size of the California (or southern) sea otters is about 4 feet. They are also nocturnal and hunt at night. Otters are adorable creatures that live both on land and in the water. , Science Kids ©  |  Home  |  About  |  Topics  |  Experiments  |  Games  |  Facts  |  Quizzes  |  Projects  |  Lessons  |  Images  |  Videos  |  Privacy  |  Sitemap  |  Updated: Apr 11, 2020. Some otter species spend all their time in the water while others are land and water based animals. The North American river otter was one of the most hunted animals for its fur after Europeans arrived. The European or Eurasian otter is often referred to as the common otter. sea otters like to stay in groups. It is found in the rivers and coasts of Europe. This traps a layer of air which keeps them dry an… This page was last modified on 23 December 2020, at 02:10. They stayed relatively common in parts of Scotland and Ireland, but numbers in England reached a low point in the 1980s. 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. google_ad_slot = "5655995158"; Some tribes consider the otter to be a lucky animal and a symbol of "loyalty and honesty." Its ears and nostrils are closed down in water. Otter is a common name for a carnivorous mammal in the subfamily Lutrinae. Generally, the male sea otters grows from 3.11 to 4.11 feet in length and weighs around 49 to 99 pounds. Otters live on every continent except for Australia and Antarctica. They live in nests called holts. It is also called the European otter, Eurasian river otter, common otter, and Old World otter. Amazing Facts About the Otter. Their historic range included shallow waters of the Bering Strait. Sea otters wrap themselves in kelp or hold hands when sleeping to prevent drifting. Otters are adorable creatures that live both on land and in … Through to the large Giant otter and Sea otters who can reach 1.8 m (5.9 ft) and 45 kg (99.2 lb). Otters are a popular animal in Japanese folklore where they are called "kawauso". A group of otters is called a "romp", because they play together and are energetic. //-->. 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. Sea otters are incredibly clean and keep their waterproof coats in perfect condition. They mainly eat fish but also frogs, crayfish and crabs, some species carry a rock to help smash open shellfish. They grow to 1.0 to 1.5 m (3.3 to 4.9 ft) in length and weigh 30 kg (66 lb). – Source 13. Read on and enjoy our interesting information about otters. 4 Otters have webbed feet, dense fur to keep them warm and can close their ears and nose when swimming.Bubbles of air trapped in their fur give them a silvery appearance underwater. Fun Facts for Kids. Their fur is often brown at the top, and lighter underneath the Otter. Some kinds of otters live in groups, while others are almost always alone. Otters are great swimmers and divers. Much of their food is found in water. Sea Otters have joined the ranks of ducks, chickens, pigs, whales, horses, and elephant seals, all animals that can contract influenza.According to a study by the U.S. Geological Survey, sea otters living in a remote area in Washington state were carriers of the H1N1 virus. 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". Also, their feet are webbed, which helps them swim. Hunting of otters was also common. They stayed relatively common in parts of Scotland and Ireland, but numbers in England reached a low point in the 1980s. They live along the Pacific coast of North America. The largest otter is the giant otter… Otters live 8 to 9 years in the wilderness, and as many as 21 years when living with people. Cute! Check out our range of fun otter facts for kids. Sea Otter Facts: Habitat: Northern and eastern North Pacific Ocean. The northern sea otters can weigh as much as 100 pounds. You may not believe this but one of the otter facts for kids is that otters are masters in using stones to break open the shellfish. There are 13 species of otters, in seven genera, according to Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS). Otter species range in size from the smallest Oriental small-clawed otter at 0.6 m (2 ft) and 1 kg (2.2 lb). Some of the best known are the giant otter, the sea otter, the European otter, the Northern river otter among others. These adorable aquatic mammals are clever, chatty, and oddly aromatic. Mishka is an asthmatic otter who uses an inhaler. There are 13 species of otter found all around the world. Furry, playful and very, very smart, otters are beloved for their adorable antics and sweet appearance. 7 FUN FACTS ABOUT OTTERS! – Source 12. The males of this subspecies weigh around 65 pounds while females are 45 pounds in weight. otter facts for kids sea otters 2. sea otters otters have 1.6. to 2.6. million hairs purr square inch. Sea otters have also been hunted in large numbers for their fur. River otters are just one species of the 13 species of otters found throughout the world, and they live to be about 8 years old in the wild. They are great swimmers and divers; they can stay underwater for 8 minutes. In these tales the smart kawauso often fool humans, kind of like a fox. A group of otters is called a romp. Otters are animals that live near and around water. The European otter or Eurasian otter, are found in Europe, Asia, parts of North Africa and the British Isles. A group of otters is called a raft, according to the San Diego Zoo. Otter, any of 13–14 species of semiaquatic mammals that belong to the weasel family and are noted for their playfulness. Otter Facts and Information. It can grow up to 2.4m (8ft) long from nose to tail. There are 13 species of otter around the world and many of them are endangered. Otters prefer water bordered by woods and with wetlands, such as marshes, nearby. Groups of about 5 to 10 otters live together in dens or burrows beside a river. An otter's den is called a 'holt' or a 'couch'. European otter. google_ad_height = 600; A raft is usually comprised of single-sex sea otters that can range from 10 to a hundred individuals. They have a thick fur coat that keeps them warm even in freezing water. google_ad_client = "pub-4643150179421087"; They eat fish, shellfish, and other water animals. Otters are very active hunters, spending many hours a day chasing prey through water or scouring the rivers and the sea bed. /* sci facts 728 */ It is native to Eurasia. There are many different kinds of otters. Roadkill deaths are now happening more. - Sourc Here are 16 Interesting Otter facts. google_ad_slot = "9761313702"; The European otter (Lutra lutra) was common as recently as the 1950s, but became rare because of DDT pesticides, habitat loss and water pollution. There are 13 species of otter found all around the world. Hunting of otters was also common. They have very soft, insulated underfur, which is protected by an outer layer of long guard hairs. They are also very curious and like to investigate new things.Otters spend a good part of their day grooming themselves. Sea otter is the heaviest and the second smallest aquatic member of weasel family. The coolest of all otter facts is that they use tools to crack open the shells of crabs and clams. Otters live in a wide variety of watery locations, from the mighty Amazon to the heart of Singapore. Check out our awesome range of animal facts for kids and learn some fun trivia about our friends in the animal kingdom. There are 13 species of otter found all around the world. They are expert swimmers and spend much of their time hunting for prey in water, where they catch mainly fish and invertebrates. A group of otters are called a 'bevy', 'family', 'lodge', or 'romp', or, when in water the group is called a 'raft'. 11. Funny! Sea Otter Facts For Kids The nostrils and ears of sea otters close in the water. 1. Two species are marine; the others live mostly in fresh water. The Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) is a type of otter. The charismatic otter, a member of the weasel family, is found on every continent except Australia and Antarctica. 1-5 Otter Facts 1. 10 Otters like to stick together, so when they sleep they will wrap themselves in seaweed and float together in a group. They have a rich fur for which humans hunted them almost to extinction. They have a rich fur for which humans hunted them almost to extinction. An otter's den is called a 'holt' or a 'couch'. They will eat any small animals and birds they can catch. Learning Colors! Their sleek, streamlined bodies are perfect for diving and swimming. As predators that are near the top of the food chain, otters are hugely important for keeping their environments balanced. References Some specimens weighing up to 54 kg (120 lb) are also recorded. Otters are long and slim animals with four short legs that can be longer than a meter. June 26, 2018. iStock. This makes them one of the few animals that use tools. Sea otters have about 26,000 to 165,000 hairs per square centimeters of skin. They can die of hunger more quickly than most animals. Otter information, Habitat, Feeding, Anatomy, Reproduction, Predators Facts about Sea Otter, Giant Otter, European Otter, African Otter and River Otter. BY Hannah Keyser. To help mark their habitat on land they will purposely leave droppings behind. It lives in the rivers and swamps of tropical South America, forming noisy family groups that often hunt together. Giant otter belongs to a family of carnivorous mammals called mustelid. VIDEO: OTTER FACTS FOR KIDS! They prefer slow-moving rivers, lakes, swamps and flooded forests during the rainy season. 3 Otters have their cubs in underground dens called holts, which they dig themselves.They will also use hollows under trees or old rabbit holes. /* sci facts 160 */ They are also very vocal and communicate use a variety of calls. Otter Facts: Hunting, Feeding, and Entertainment Otters are carnivores. Otters are now quite common, especially in the west of England. Four of the main otter species include the European otter, the North American river otter, the Sea otter, and the Giant otter. Other foods include frogs, crabs, small mammals, birds, clams, urchins, shellfish, and crayfish. They have a thick fur coat that keeps them warm even in freezing water. They will use rocks to open food like clams, sea urchins and crabs. They keep the air topped up by blowing into the fur with their mouth. They frequently carry a rock in a pouch under their forearm. Otters live in family groups and the parents have a strong pair bond. Otters have a slender body, a long neck, and short legs. Sea otters are found in the offshore environments and they come to the surface to forage. , habitat and much more in sea otter facts for kids the nostrils ears! Bering Strait the otters are animals that use tools after Europeans arrived underneath... 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