Additionally, education and awareness programs can play a role in preventing these conflicts. They use their front paws with a dexterity that nearly rivals humans. "Weird and Fascinating Ways Animals Use Poop." But maybe the most disturbing fact about otters is that they are known to "mate" with deceased animals. Stephens, Tim. The elusive otter is one of our top predators, feeding mainly on fish (particularly eels and salmonids), waterbirds, amphibians and crustaceans. Researchers were not certain how the otters succeeded in getting the virus, but researchers theorize it may have dispersed to otter populations during the time of the H1N1 outbreak in 2009. "North American River Otter (Lontra canadensis): A Technical Conservation Assessment." They eat up to 9 pounds of food in a day and their sharp teeth and powerful tail let them swim fast when they are hunting and can even confront caiman or other enormous Amazon creatures if the need arises. 1. When its time to nap, sea otters entangle themselves in kelp so they dont float away. Most of us could spend an entire day scrolling through cute otter videos on social media. Concealed beneath those button noses and fluffy fur lies a creature with some really frightening mating habits. These furry creatures eat meat, such as fish, frogs, birds, and even mammals. Without sea otters, the urchin population booms and destroys the kelp forest habitat. Advertisement. 12 Cool Animals That Crawl (Crawl Speed & Pictures), What Eats Leopards (Top 5 Leopard Predators), Are Lions Smart? How Stuff Works. Their small heads widen to long necks and shoulders, and they have flattened, well-muscled tails. They live mainly on land that is very close to bodies of water. If a male is too aggressive during the mate (which he usually is), the female will drown below the surface. In . We thought we knew turtles. Langley, Liz. Perhaps the worst (alleged) method was called scaphism, in which a person was force-fed, and covered in, milk and honey, put in a swamp,. And weve reached the most disturbing fact about these adorable creatures. These otters also have less webbing between their digits. Just like when they mate, otters bite the baby seal and hold it down with their sharp claws, causing injuries and death in most cases. Do not reproduce without permission. The golden poison dart frog (Phyllobates . The latter is the most common term for a group of otters on land. First, male otters sometimes hold pups ransom to force their mothers to give up some of their food. Read our about page! Sea otters cannot swim at all for their first month, despite being born in the open sea. Volunteer as an otter spotter or water monitor. Google Pay. A sea otter will float on its back, place a rock on its chest, then smash the mollusk down on it until it breaks open. Otters (genus Lutra) hail from the subfamily of Lutrinae and are carnivorous mammals. Yes, the phenomenon of otters holding hands is completely true. Sea otters have an ingenious method to open shellfish. After raping a baby seal to death, this psycho licked his paws, like Hannibal Lecter or something. Even though mature sea otters weigh roughly 100 pounds, they require about 7,500 calories per day! Creepy Facts About Animals That Will Keep You Up At Night Nope, they are horrific menaces to other species. As otters build their dens, they can cause significant changes to their environment.

A Eurasian river otter mother relaxes with with her two seven-month-old cubs on a shoreline in Shetland, U.K.

, The little-known history of the Florida panther. While this may seem like a cooperative and selfless act, it can also involve more sinister elements. Unfortunately the number of tea-trees is diminishing. Sea Otters Eat 25 Percent of Their Body Weight Every Day. German zoologist and botanist Georg Wilhelm Steller was the first to scientifically describe numerous new animals on the 1741 explorative voyage from Russia. In 2014, a study of giant otters found that the river-dwellers have 22 distinct noises they make for different situations. "Asian Short-Clawed Otter." I just think otters are jerks. Uniquely Koala: 13 Weird Facts about Koalas The Koala Mom IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Hairy-nosed Otter, 2015, doi:10.2305/iucn.uk.2015-2.rlts.t12421a21936999.en. Average Life Span In The Wild: 8 to 9 years. Moreover, increased conservation efforts are needed in order to monitor population numbers, reduce polluting activities and stop activities that destroy their habitats. Either due to better reporting or to increased otter savagery, the numbers grew over the decades, from three in the 1980s to 13 in the 1990s to 17 in the 2000s. Otters, facts and information With their furry faces and charming personalities, they have captured the hearts of many. The species' recovery has been considerably slower in California relative to other areas. His articles have been mentioned by Wikipedia, USA Today, and HuffPost, among others. The reasons behind this behavior are not entirely clear, but scientists believe it may be linked to the sea otters aggressive mating practices with females. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. Most species hunt for three to five hours each day and nursing mothers up to eight hours each day. In California's Monterey Bay, where scientists observed otters trying to copulate with the week-old bodies of dead baby seals, there are far more male otters than females. This behavior has been documented in various locations, including the Aleutian Islands and California. They juggle rocks. Moreover, sea otters have in at least some cases shown a willingness to attack primates, as in the case of the above sea otters in the Bronx Zoo, which killed a monkey with whom they shared an exhibit. Every animal on Earth (including humans) has learned to adapt to its environment, which means sometimes having to make difficult (or gross) choices to survive. 2023 NatureWorldNews.com All rights reserved. The forceful mating practices of otters also have implications for conservation efforts. All otters are expert hunters that eat fish, crustaceans, and other critters. The aquarium staff had previously tried raising pups themselves but found that hand-raised otters became too attached to humans to be released back into the wild. Who buys lion bones? This combination allows them to have greater nimbleness when foraging. Educating the public about wildlife conservation and habitat protection is one of the most effective ways to promote conservation efforts. Not so cute anymore, are they? You bet they do! Take a mental break with the newest Vox crossword, Sign up for the But some, particularly in present-day Canada and Alaska, viewed the river otter "with awe and dread" and associated the creatures with the undead and drowning. A river otter has an average weight of 20 pounds and is 4 feet long, while a sea otter weighs 70-80 pounds and is 6 feet long. As a wildlife enthusiast with an insatiable curiosity for the natural world, Aleksandar is the man behind the scenes and, together with Kristina, has co-founded Wild Explained. Their droppings are known as spraints and can be identified by an odour that is said to range from musky mown hay to jasmine tea to rotting fish. This high demand leaves otter mothers depleted, and many die from minor illnesses. In both cases, the male was swimming, diving, guarding, and copulating with the carcass. While otters appear to be friendly and docile, they can become extremely aggressive when defending their territory or their younglings. They eat up to 9 pounds of food in a day and their sharp teeth and powerful tail let them swim fast when they are hunting and can even confront caiman or other enormousAmazon creatures if the need arises. Something went wrong. 2. Webbed feet and powerful tails, which act like rudders, make otters strong swimmers. These holts can be found along riverbanks, among tree roots, under branches, brush, or boulders. And since otters have superb metabolisms and can easily eat up to 15 percent of their body weight each day, there's a lot of spraint to go around. "River Otter, Wildlife Note." The behavior doesn't stop when the seals die from the trauma. As explained by the National Wildlife Foundation's Robyn Carmichael, sea otters frequently eat sea urchins, which in turn are known for eating massive amounts of kelp, which is very good at taking in carbon dioxide during photosynthesis. Sometimes, they will also force the females head underwater. When he's not writing or reading, Aleksandar can be found exploring the great outdoors with his trusty dog as a companion. Sea otters, unlike other marine mammals, do not have a . Stevens, Sadie S., and Thomas L. Serfass. 2, 2005, pp. Introduction to Otters - BioExpedition Sea Otter Savvy. The male of this species tends to be larger than the females. On top of that, pups have 11 of their own calls that they intersperse with "infant babbling." Pretty wicked! They get their needed water and sustenance from eating eucalyptus leaves. Unauthorized use is prohibited. The cutest animals in the world are evil A property owner or the owner's immediate family, employee, or tenant may kill or trap a river otter on that property if it is damaging crops or domestic animals (RCW 77.36.030). Otters love to eat shelled animals, like clams, but they aren't equipped with the strength to open their food without some help. Otters are often elusive, with large ranges and nocturnal behaviour making spotting them a rare and wonderful experience. Do Sea Otters Rape Baby Seals? | Snopes.com 11 Adorable Facts about Otters - Fact City They are skilled hunters and feed on a variety of prey, including fish, crustaceans, and mollusks. 5 Disturbing Facts About Sea Otters: They're Not as Cuddly as They Seem In this article, well uncover the lesser-known, disturbing truths about otters, exploring their aggressive tendencies, complex social structures, and the impact they have on their ecosystems. Here's Harris again: Copulation normally occurs in the water where the male sea otter will approach the female from behind, grip her around the chest with his forepaws, and grasp her nose or the side of her face with his teeth.Facial biting by the male commonly results in the development of skin and soft tissue lacerations of the female's nose and face that can occasionally be fatal.The problem is worse for females, of course, but younger males often mimic mating behavior with each other, which can cause similar injuries.
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