Encyclopedia of Mammals. MacDonald, D. 1984. A review of otters ⦠They can be found throughout all of Europe, many areas of Asia, and some territories in northern Africa too. Eurasian otter - Lutra lutra (Linnaeus, 1758) Images from the web. Eurasian Otter (European Otter) -- Eurasian river otter, common otter and Old World otter, is a European and Asian member of the Lutrinae or otter subfamily, and is typical of freshwater otters. 1. 7 FUN FACTS ABOUT OTTERS! By the 1970s, otters were restricted mainly to Scotland, especially the islands and the north-west coast, western Wales, parts of East Anglia and the West Country (though they remained common and widespread also in ⦠Otters are often elusive, with large ranges and nocturnal behaviour making spotting them a rare and wonderful experience. Otters have the densest fur of any animalâas many as a million hairs per square inch in places. The white is also there under the face and down to the belly. Ecography 17: 339-348. Learning Colors! The Eurasian otter is an aquatic mammal belonging to the Mutelidae family together with weasels and badgers. ⦠How to identify The otter is a large, powerful mammal, with grey-brown fur, a broad snout, and a pale chest and throat. The IUCN status has been described as precautionary. The Eurasian otter is very well adapted to the aquatic environment. Heggberget, T. and K. Moseid. They require clean rivers, with an abundant source of food and plenty of vegetation to hide their secluded holts. Cuteness! Nor. Prey selection in coastal Eurasian otters Lutra lutra. Fun Fact. Origin & Distribution: The otter is a secretive semi-aquatic species which was once widespread in Britain. Overview; Breeding; Otter Habits; Otters and Humans; Credits; Print. The Eurasian Otter (Lutra Lutra) is one of the UKâs most famous mammals but is also one of the most scarce having been effectively wiped out from much of itâs traditional range between the 1950 to 1990. The European otter (Lutra lutra), also called the Eurasian otter, inhabits Europe, most of Asia and parts of North Africa.In the British Isles, they were common as recently as the 1950s, but became rare in many areas due to the use of chlorinated hydrocarbon pesticides, habitat loss and water pollution (they remained relatively ⦠OTTER FACTS FOR KIDS! Further information: International Otter Survival Fund. The European or Eurasian otter is the most widely-distributed of the worldâs 12 otter species, and it occurs throughout Europe and much of Northern Asia, including Russia, China and the Korean peninsula. Habitat. Lutra lutra (European otter, Eurasian otter) Lutra nippon (Japanese otter) â possibly extinct, according to IUCN, and may not have been a separate species Lutra sumatrana (hairy-nosed otter) The otter is ⦠The dog and bitch live separate lives, meeting only for mating. 1994. The position of the eyes high on the head allow it to see out of the water whilst the rest of the ⦠The European Otter ⦠They can live in cold regions as well as warm areas. There are 13 species of otter ⦠The European Otter (Lutra lutra) is also known as the Eurasian River Otter, Common Otter and Old World Otter. Eurasian Otters are a semi-aquatic mammal with predominantly light brown fur and a pale ventral area. These otters ⦠Read on and enjoy our interesting information about otters. Image: Otter (Eurasian) by Helen Haden. Distribution. They are expert swimmers and spend much of their time hunting for prey in water, where they catch mainly fish and invertebrates. They live mainly on land that is very close to bodies of water. Otters are mainly nocturnal and hunt in open, marshy places, rivers, lakes, seashores and estuaries. The dog and bitch live separate lives, meeting only for mating. This is one way to easily identify them in the wild or in captivity. The eyes are placed high on the head so that it can see when the rest of the body is below water. They are often mistaken for beavers though. This has steadied and the decline is not as drastic as it was over the last 23 years. The Eurasian otter is chiefly brown on its ⦠We care for around 15 â 20 wild rescue otters every year until their release at approximately 12-15 months old. In other regions the otter shares aquatic habitats with species specialised to different habitats such as sea otters, but in Ireland the otters that live at the coast and those that occupy our rivers are the same species. It has short limbs, webbed feet and claws, and highly sensitive whiskers, enabling it to detect prey in murky waters. Otters donât just have whiskers around the muzzle and nose, they have a few stiff whiskers on their elbows too â this helps them to detect vibrations in the water to track down moving prey. But there's another top predator back in town: the Eurasian otter. Breeding. Otters breed throughout the year. Otters also have particularly stinky poop, which even has ⦠You will notice that these white markings are different on each of them. The Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra), also known as the European otter, Eurasian river otter, common otter, and Old World otter, is a semiaquatic mammal native to Eurasia.The most widely distributed member of the otter subfamily (Lutrinae) of the weasel family (Mustelidae), it is found in the waterways and coasts of Europe, ⦠they can be up to 1.2m in length, with about a 3rd of that length being the tapered tail. Ecography 17: 331-338. It boosted my theory that British naturalists had either misidentified smooth-coated otters as Eurasian otters, or mis-labelled the location from where some Eurasian otters were collected. But you can bank on the fact that there is an otter ⦠But habitat loss and hunting have brought many populations of other otter species crashing down around the world, especially in more tropical locations. The Eurasian otter, Lutra lutra, has a Palaearctic distribution and has suffered a severe decline throughout Europe during the last century. Quick facts. After some years of decline, otter numbers on many British rivers have risen sharply since the mid 1980s. Learn where the otter lives, what they eat, what a group of otters is called, the names of various otter species and much more. Otters breed throughout the year. The European otter is the most widely distributed otter species being widely spread across Europe. Most live on shorelines of freshwater rivers and lakes, but a few hunt along seaside coasts. They tend to be more adaptable than other otter species, and can survive on a large assortment of foods from fish to crab to muskrats and young beavers. Otters ⦠In Ireland the otter ⦠The Eurasian Otter has a long neck and it features a body style that is very broad. These otters dine on fish, birds, and various crustaceans as they are opportunistic. fact lexicon with terms going straight to the point. Phylum: Chordata - Class: Mammalia - Order: Carnivora - Family: Mustelidae. Lutra lutra - Eurasian Otter. The European otter, also known as the Eurasian otter, or the common otter, has the widest range of all otter species. Facts are sorted by community importance and you can build your personalized ⦠Funny! The most widely distributed member of the otter subfamily (Lutrinae) of the weasel family (Mustelidae), it is found in the waterways and coasts of Europe, many parts of Asia, and parts of northern Africa. Otters are adorable creatures that live both on land and in the water. Usually there are two or ⦠Previous studies in this and other mustelids have shown reduced levels of variability in mitochondrial DNA, although otter phylogeographic studies were restricted to central-western ⦠Usually there are two or more females living in a male's territory and when they are receptive, he will mate with all of them. Despite being such a lovable carnivore, the Eurasian Otter is classified as âNear Threatenedâ by the IUCN due to a declining population over the last 40 years. It is also called the elusive common otter and measures an average of 14 lbs in weight and about 16 inches in length. The Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra), also known as the European otter, Eurasian river otter, common otter, and Old World otter, is a semiaquatic mammal native to Eurasia.The most widely distributed member of the otter subfamily (Lutrinae) of the weasel family (Mustelidae), it is found in the waterways and coasts of Europe, ⦠Otters are aquatic (water-based) relatives of badgers and weasels. On land, Eurasian river otters are nocturnal (active mostly by night) and spend the daytime in their dens, or holts. The average otter is 1â1.3 metres in length, and weighs up to 9kg. The Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra), also known as the European otter, Eurasian river otter, common otter, and Old World otter, is a semiaquatic mammal native to Eurasia. Fun Otter Facts for Kids. The Eurasian otter ⦠Its range also encompasses Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia in North Africa, Middle Eastern countries from Turkey to Iran ⦠Facts on File Publications, NY. In Wales, some of this improvement must be down to the work of the Otters in Wales project, which has given added protection to otters ⦠FACT: Otters ⦠Keeper Notes. Otter (Eurasian) Breeding. The sea otter is only found in salt water, ⦠Fortunately this massive decline was noticed in time so that steps could be taken to reverse it. The otter is a carnivorous mammal in a branch of the weasel family called Lutrinae. Discover facts about these mammals and their presence in urban areas including Sheffield, Birmingham and London. A combination of pollution in the ⦠These otters ⦠Sometimes they will consume beavers or other mammals if they have the chance to do so. It is able to generate heat internally thus is "endothermic." Facts about Sea Otter, Giant Otter, European Otter, African Otter and River Otter. Sivasothi, N. and B. Reproductive timing in Eurasian otters on the coast of Norway. There are 13 species of otters: The 13 species of otters are â African Clawless Otter, Asian Small-Clawed Otter, Congo Clawless Otter, Eurasian Otter, Giant Otter, Hairy-Nosed Otter, Marine Otter, Neotropical Otter, North American River Otter, South American River Otter ⦠It is a European member of the Mustelidae or weasel family and is typical of freshwater otters. Eurasian otters have staged a remarkable comeback in the UK, where theyâre now once again present in every single county. The European otter has been here for millions of years; it is a member of the Mustelid family, which also includes the badger, mink, weasels, stoats, martens and polecats, and is the only truly semi-aquatic member of the weasel family. Its sense of sight, smell and hearing is acute. The European Otter is one what has a distinct look to it. They hunt for food both in the water such as fish ⦠Their ears (small and round), eyes and nose are positioned along the top ⦠The Eurasian river otter has a smooth body shape, dense coat, and webbing on all four paws. North American sea otters are something of a recent ⦠They have a long body with short legs, five toes which are webbed. The fact that there were no records for nearly 70 years led me to doubt the veracity of historical records. Introduction to Otters. Check out our range of fun otter facts for kids. With the widest distribution of the otter subfamily, the common otter ⦠FACT: Although the otter is an exceptionally good swimmer and fish catcher, it cannot hold its breath for long and the average dive is about 30 seconds. Otters are well suited to a life on the water as they have webbed feet, dense fur to keep them warm, and can close their ears and nose when underwater. While it does have the brownish color of coat, it also features white along the length of it. However, those that live on the coast can often be seen during the day. 1994. Established in 1964, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species has evolved to become the worldâs most comprehensive information source on the global conservation status of animal, fungi and plant species. Plus, the skins attributed to Eurasian otters ⦠If otters fascinate you, below are some interesting otter facts. The Eurasian Otter has an acute sense of sight, smell and hearing. It is an excellent swimmer, able to twist and turn easily to catch fish underwater. Cute! Their diet consists of roughly 80% ⦠Breeding. The species of otter that occurs in Ireland is called the Eurasian otter and is found in Europe and across Asia to China and Japan. In weight and about 16 inches in length, with large ranges nocturnal! A combination of pollution in the UK, where theyâre now once again present in every single county led to. To bodies of water sensitive whiskers, enabling it to detect prey in murky waters notice. 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