🏰 Europe
Eurasian Otter
Image: Wikipedia
Meet the Animal
Eurasian otters are the playful, sleek-furred acrobats of European rivers. They have incredibly dense fur with a layer that traps thousands of tiny air bubbles to keep them warm and dry even in icy water! Once nearly extinct in Britain due to pollution, otters have made a wonderful comeback and are now found on rivers across the UK.
Where in the World
Continent: Europe
Countries:
Habitat
Rivers, Lakes, Streams, Coastal sea, Wetland
Diet
Carnivore
Classification
- ↳Kingdom:Animalia
- ↳Class:Mammalia
- ↳Order:Carnivora
- ↳Family:Mustelidae
- ↳Common:Mammal
Appearance
Sleek chestnut-brown fur with a paler creamy-white throat and cheeks. Streamlined body, webbed feet, and a long tapering tail. Dense double-layered waterproof fur. Small rounded ears.
Size: 5–15 kg; 55–130 cm body length
Young Ones
Called Cub or Pup
2–3 cubs are born in a riverside den (holt). Mothers raise cubs alone for about a year. Cubs learn to swim at about 10 weeks. Mothers teach cubs to fish over several months.
Behaviour
Mark territory with distinctive musky droppings called spraint. Slide down mud or snow banks for play. Mostly nocturnal. Have waterproof fur that traps air bubbles for insulation. Were nearly extinct in the UK, now recovering strongly.
🎉 Fun Facts
💧 Otter fur traps thousands of air bubbles for insulation in cold water.
🛷 Otters play by repeatedly sliding down muddy riverbanks.
💤 They sleep in a riverbank den called a holt.
🇬🇧 Otters have made a remarkable comeback in the UK after near-extinction.
🌊 They communicate with over 12 different sounds including whistles and chirps.