Otters: all you need to know about them

Otters are adorable semi-aquatic creatures that love to eat fish. These animals are categorized into 13 different species that make them all the more fascinating. They are chatty, playful, and romantic to a whole new level. 

These carnivore animals are now even vulnerable to extinction as each of these species is turning rare one by one. Yes, it has genuinely become a threat to their lives, and scientists are trying to find stringent measures to overcome this problem. 

In the meantime, let us help you learn more about these cute creatures! 

Otters- clever, funny, and all things adorable

1. Zoroastrians thought of them as sacred creatures

Zoroastrians during their times thought of these adorable creatures as the keeper of the rivers as they removed all dead and impure animals by eating them in the rivers. Thus, they kept the rivers pure, so Zoroastrians never let anyone contaminate the rivers where they resided. The ancient religion would also hold ceremonies for Otters that lay dead in these places. 

2. Otters are kind to adopt 

In one of the research, a female Otter had given birth to a child. On the same day, a pup was stranded in the wild nearby. Thus, people released the dog in the waters where the Otter mom stayed, and the Otter immediately started taking care of it like a mother. This impressed the people who were experimenting with this, and thus they decided to drop six to seven more pups later. Again, these experiments also showed positive results where otter moms exhibited an undying passion for adopting these beautiful babies. 

3. Chatting is an Otter’s hobby

Otters are incredible at communication as these creatures can make noises in almost 22 distinct ways. More so, pups have 11 of their calls that are known as infant babbling. They will also shout “hah” when they find a threat nearby. 

4. They are not always so adorable

If you thought that Otters were only adorable all the time, you might not be thinking straight. Otters can be wild creatures during a few incidents, especially during this mating period. When they mate, Otters bite the face of their female otters to keep them from slipping away. But this leaves giant facial wounds on her face.

In many cases, female otters who are copulating may even die for this matter. So, it is naturally pretty serious. Male otters have also been known to copulate with other female otters in a wild manner. 

5. They are famous in native American cultures 

There are many reasons why Otters are highly famous in many parts of the country. Many tribes consider Otters to be a lucky animal and a symbol of loyalty and honesty. However, parts of Canada and Alaska think of them quite the contrary. They believe that Otters are in awe and dread, and thus they are not lucky at all. Colonial Europeans even hunted down these creatures and extracted their fur, which was unacceptable by many countries worldwide. There are many Otter lovers out there! 

6. They have the thickest fur

Otters prove to have fur that is around one million per square inch. There are two layers of it- one is the undercoat fur, and then there are long hairs that are invisible to us. These layers help trap air next to Otter’s skin that is dry and warm. They have so much fur trapped in them that they may even have a hard time trying to dive underwater. 

7. All their species are decreasing

You will be shocked to know that there are 13 species of Otters, which are now decreasing. Amidst all of them, only the American River Otter seems to be making an exception by thriving. Five otter species are already on the endangered list. This has put their entire breed into a threat, and strict measures are being undertaken to deal with the problem right away. Thus, South America has decreased the number of poaching these animals for utmost safety and wildlife protection. 

8. They have a distinctive physical appearance

Otters are generally two to 6 feet long with a weight between 10 to 70 pounds. So, they are small creatures with excessive fur all over their bodies and long tails. You may also see them with their short ears and elongated bodies that make them look even more adorable. These members of the Weasel family can even close their eyes and nose underwater. 

The Bottom Line 

Otters are pretty exciting animals that are good swimmers, well-adapting animals, and agile hunters of fish. They love their life and even humans to a considerable extent. You will often find humans collaborating with Otters, and it is so much fun. So, the next time you meet an Otter, do not forget to interact with it. We promise; it will be a moment for you to remember for a lifetime. So, why keep waiting?