Quick hah barks or explosive snorts suggest immediate interest and possible danger. Please be respectful of copyright. French. [28] Unique markings of white or cream fur color the throat and under the chin, allow individuals to be identified from birth. They must carefully groom their fur and furry undercoat to keep them clean and sealed off to water, because theyre, Copyright 1996-2015 National Geographic SocietyCopyright 2015-2023 National Geographic Partners, LLC. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Decades of poachingfor its velvety pelt, peaking in the 1950s and 1960s, considerably diminished population numbers. [47], Suriname still has significant forest cover and an extensive system of protected areas, much of which protects the giant otter. [59] If fish are unavailable, it will also take crabs, snakes, and even small caimans and anacondas. If intruders invade the family's territory, the parents will defend it and their family members. [52] Other causes of death include accidents, gastroenteritis, infanticide, and epileptic seizures. See how Nat Geo photographed elephants over 100 years, The secret superpowers of elephants, in stop motion. Hums and coos are more reassuring within the group. [39] In another instance in Brazil, a carcass was found with clear indications of violent assault by other otters, including bites to the snout and genitals, an attack pattern similar to that exhibited by captive animals. Their underbody is usually lighter in colour. Overall, currently, Giant otters are classified as Endangered (EN) and their numbers today are decreasing. [29] The legs are short and stubby and end in large webbed feet tipped with sharp claws. Ensuring that the animals have sufficient privacy from human disturbances (visual and acoustic, from zoo staff or visitors) at parturition and during cub-rearing is also essential, but not sufficient. How magnesium affects your sleep and anxiety, Your eyes may be a window into early Alzheimer's detection, 6 hiking and biking trails to explore in the Alps this summer. Congo clawless otters inhabit equatorial Africa, from southeastern Nigeria to Gabon, down to Uganda and Burundi. She has a Master's Degree in Cellular and Molecular Physiology from Tufts Medical School and a Master's of Teaching from Simmons College. Today we're going to learn more about where they live, how their populations are changing and some cool facts about the giant otter. One report suggests maximum areas 28m (92ft) long and 15m (49ft) wide, well-marked by scent glands, urine, and feces to signal territory. Young are weaned at the age of 3-4 months. The IUCN Red List has no current estimate for the total Giant otter population. Young otters remain in the den for a month but grow up quickly. [6] In Spanish, river wolf (Spanish: lobo de ro) and water dog (Spanish: perro de agua) are used occasionally (though the latter also refers to several different animals) and may have been more common in the reports of explorers in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The otter can attack from both above and below, swiveling at the last instant to clamp the prey in its jaws. Here are seven facts you otter know about this South American member of the Mustelidae family. Fish are supplemented by crustaceans, snakes, and other river creatures. The charismatic otter, a member of the weasel family, is found on every continent except Australia and Antarctica. The giant otter has a handful of other names. Follow us on Instagram at @natgeoyourshot or visit us at natgeo.com/yourshot for the latest submissions and news about the community. Like human families, these animals mate in monogamous pairs, living with large families in a gregarious lifestyle. The giant otter is diurnal, being active exclusively during daylight hours. 08:00am - 10:30am. They hunt alone or in groups, sometimes using coordinated efforts, and must be successful often to meet their daily intake quota. [75] The animal's relatively late sexual maturity and complex social life makes hunting especially disastrous. This makes it easier for the adults to catch enough fish for the growing young, and for the pups to learn how to catch fish. As human activity expands, giant otter home ranges become increasingly isolated. The threat has been exacerbated by the otters' relative fearlessness and tendency to approach human beings. 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A Eurasian river otter mother relaxes with with her two seven-month-old cubs on a shoreline in Shetland, U.K. It turns out the thick, luscious fur that keeps them dry and warm has been a long coveted possession of humans. We compared giant otter feeding habits between seasons and habitats in the Southern Pantanal, Brazil, by analyzing feces . They appear in a fish poisoning legend where they assist a man who has wasted his sexual energy, creating the anacondas of the world from his distressed and extended genitals. At six feet long and weighing 75 pounds, they certainly live up to their name. of coastline. Create an account to read the full story and get unlimited access to hundreds of Nat Geo articles. Neotropical otters range from Uruguay north to Central America and Mexico. All rights reserved. An average giant otter will weigh between 22 and 32kg (49-71lbs). [49] Females have a gestation period of 65 to 70 days, giving birth to one to five pups, with an average of two. [84] In a report for World Wildlife Fund in 2002, Duplaix was emphatic about the importance of Suriname and the other Guianas:[63] .mw-parser-output .templatequote{overflow:hidden;margin:1em 0;padding:0 40px}.mw-parser-output .templatequote .templatequotecite{line-height:1.5em;text-align:left;padding-left:1.6em;margin-top:0}. Photo story: the flavours of Oman's Ad Dakhiliyah region, 7 hands-on food and drink experiences to try in Italy, Behind the fairytales: a journey into the Black Forest, Hitting new heights: learn how to be an Alpinist in Chamonix, Photograph by Joel Sartore, National Geographic Photo Ark, Photograph by Ernane Junior, National Geographic Your Shot, The secret superpowers of elephants, in stop motion, Video Story, Copyright 1996-2015 National Geographic Society, Copyright 2015-2023 National Geographic Partners, LLC. Their tiny ears close under water, and their thick fur helps keep them warm in cold water. [5] At Tierpark Hagenbeck in Germany, long-term pair bonding and individualized mate selection were seen, with copulation most frequently taking place in water. The new arrivals were born on March 27 and are still under the care of doctors. Breakfast with the otters and the fishers. The giant otter is unusually sociable for a mustelid (member of the weasel family). African Clawless Otter: Habitat, Population & Lifespan, Psychological Research & Experimental Design, All Teacher Certification Test Prep Courses, Orders Eulipotyphia, Chiroptera & Didelphimorphia, Eurasian Otter: Habitat, Diet, Lifespan & Facts, Hairy-Nosed Otter: Habitat, Breeding & Population, Spotted-Necked Otter: Habitat, Diet, Lifespan & Facts, Smooth-Coated Otter: Habitat, Adaptations & Facts, North American River Otter: Habitat, Diet, Predators & Facts, Southern River Otter: Habitat, Population & Adaptations, Asian Small-Clawed Otter: Habitat, Breeding & Adaptations, European Mink: Facts, Habitat, Adaptations & Population, What is a Mongoose? Atypical of mustelids, the giant otter is a social species, with family groups typically supporting three to . River otters dig their own burrows. Nearly all otter populations have been impacted to some extent by human activities. 2023 SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, Inc. All Rights Reserved. It lives only in the rivers and creeks of the Amazon, Orinoco, and La Plata river systems. In 2004, Peru created one of the largest conservation areas in the world, Alto Purs National Park, with an area similar in size to Belgium. Very little information is available on worldwide population figures for freshwater otters. However, otters have another important sensory organ at their disposal, called vibrissae. [78] Specific threats from human industry include unsustainable mahogany logging in parts of the giant otter range,[75] and concentrations of mercury in its diet of fish, a byproduct of gold mining. One to five latrines for communal use are placed along the perimeter of the site. Giant otters are large aquatic carnivores that inhabit rivers and seasonal lakes in South America. Although giant otters are losing the battle in human conflict, they have evolved amazing adaptations to help them survive nature's challenges in the wild. Decades of poaching for its velvety pelt, peaking in the 1950s and 1960s, considerably diminished population numbers. 52-million-year-old bat skeletons are the oldest ever found. They inhabit slow moving rivers in forests, swamps and marshes, preferring clear water with gentle sloping banks and over . The giant otter is almost 1.5 m long, with an additional metre provided by its tail. This photo was submitted to Your Shot, our photo community on Instagram. 23 chapters | Giant Otter This South American otter is the world's largest, at some 6 feet long. These huge members of the weasel family swim by propelling themselves with their powerful tails and flexing their long bodies. [34] Duplaix identified nine distinct sounds, with further subdivisions possible, depending on context. In captivity, this may increase to 17, with an unconfirmed record of 19. [2] A significant population lives in the wetlands of the central Araguaia River, and in particular within Canto State Park, which, with its 843 oxbow lakes and extensive flooded forests and marshlands, is one of the best habitat patches for this species in Brazil. Although giant otters don't have fins like a scuba diver or even fins like a fish, their four paws are webbed, creating a similar effect. It is the longest member of the weasel family, Mustelidae, a globally successful group of predators, reaching up to 1.8m (5ft 11in). [57] Fish remains were of medium-sized species that seem to prefer relatively shallow water, to the advantage of the probably visually oriented giant otter. [91] A Maxacali creation story suggests that the practice of otter fishing may have been prevalent in the past.[92]. Weights are between 26 and 32kg (57 and 71lb) for males and 22 and 26kg (49 and 57lb) for females. Territories are generally smaller than home ranges. Females are smaller at 1-1.5m (3.3-4.9ft). They groom each other, rest, and may even hunt together. Statistics show between 1959 and 1969 Amazonian Brazil alone accounted for 1,000 to 3,000 pelts annually. The giant otter is the longest species in the mustelid family. [11] The genus name, Pteronura, is derived from the Ancient Greek words (pteron, feather or wing) and (oura, tail),[12] a reference to its distinctive, wing-like tail. # x27 ; s largest, at some 6 feet long and Mexico Southern Pantanal,,... La Plata river systems are still under the care of doctors Plata river systems otters have another sensory. In large webbed feet tipped with sharp claws Shetland, U.K, Inc. all Rights Reserved 22 and 32kg 49-71lbs! The Mustelidae family and tendency to approach human beings of Teaching from College. 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