Otter Popup Is Suddenly Trending Across America - Away State Journal
The Asian small-clawed otter is the smallest otter species and the giant otter and sea otter are the largest. They have very soft, insulated underfur, which is protected by an outer layer of long guard hairs. This traps a layer of air which keeps them dry, warm, and somewhat buoyant under water.
Otter, any of 13 species of semiaquatic mammals that belong to the weasel family and are noted for their playfulness. The otter has a lithe and slender body with short legs, a strong neck, and a long flat tail that helps propel it gracefully through water.
Otter groups are called a family, bevy, lodge, or romp. The latter is the most common term for a group of otters on land. A group of otters in the water is most often called a raft.
Most otter species are nocturnal, except for the sea and giant otters, which remain active during the day. The clawless and river otters on the other hand are known to show both diurnal and nocturnal behavior.
An otter refers to a semiaquatic carnivorous mammal of the subfamily Lutrinae under Mustelidae, a family that also includes weasels, badgers, minks, stoats, wolverines, and others.
Most are small, with short ears and noses, elongated bodies, long tails, and soft, dense fur. There are 13 species in total, ranging from the small-clawed otter to the giant otter.
There are 14 species of otter around the world and many of them are endangered. Use the links below to explore the different species and find out more about otters in other parts of the world.