river otter vs sea otter

River otter fur ranges from light to dark, rich brown. The semi-aquatic river otter spends about 75% of its time on land and 25% in the water. SEA OTTER (Enhydra lutris) In California, sea otters are most often seen around Monterey Bay and Elkhorn Slough. Almost always swim in a dog paddle, almost never swim on their backs. Fluffy fur and husky profile. You know, they really appear to love everything they do. Run easily on land. As their name suggests, sea otters live mainly near the sea, spending most of their time in the water. Otter spraints are messy smudges with a distinct, not unpleasant smell, and contain bones and fish scale remains. However, just because an otter is spotted on the coast does not mean it’s a sea otter. Look for tracks on muddy river banks around ponds, streams, lakes, rivers, marshes and beaches near fresh water. Family of otters play in river during rainstorm in Thailand. 300. Like the other mustelids, river otters have long slender bodies with short legs. The main difference is that with swimming river otters, you often just see the head and neck, not the full length of the body. An adult North American river otter can weigh between 5.0 and 14 kg (11.0 and 30.9 lb). Share Link. Long, serpentine tail. At least, not yet; they are slowly recovering from being nearly completely wiped out by the marine fur trade in the early colonial period, and if all goes well for them (and it isn’t going all that great at the moment, apparently) we may see them back here in a few years. Thanks again! River otters are much smaller; they usually only weigh about 20 pounds, while sea otters can weigh up to 100 pounds. They are 95% aquatic and spend pretty much their entire lives in kelp beds just off the sea shore a kilometre or two. Slides. Sea otters are mainly native to the northeastern seaboards of the Pacific Ocean, so they aren’t spotted in areas like the East Coast or the Gulf of Mexico. They carry rocks and store food in the loose skin under their armpits A UK's first - Sea Otters! River otters range from Florida to Qebec on over to California and Kotzebue Sound. Fish and Wildlife Service in Lacey, Washington, I answer all kinds of wildlife-related questions. Your email address will not be published. Sea otters: Dark brown with a much lighter head. These hydrodynamic members of the weasel family are voracious predators. Oakland Zoo's Baby River Otters Make Debut. River otters as a whole look quite similar to weasels. Thank you for solving this mystery. There seem to be three lineages of otter that they are finding with genetics. River otters (Lutra canadensis, Fig. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. River otters live near rivers and other sources of fresh water. Otters have small, rounded ears, and long sensitive whiskers to help them feel the vibrations of their prey. Run easily on land. Clawless otters are relatively social. All orders are custom made and most ship worldwide within 24 hours. Read More about “What is interpretive planning?”…. High quality River Otter gifts and merchandise. River otter poop also contains lots of DNA, from what the otters have eaten and from the otters themselves. We receive no government funding, and depend solely on financial support from our friends. Please try All otters have webbed feet to help propel them through the water, and most species have sharp claws. If you travel further north to areas like the Alaskan seaboard, you could even find males weighing up to 100 pounds! Wild Kratts - River Otters vs. Sea Otters. Thanks for signing up for Ocean Conservancy emails. Don’t worry about responding. It reminds me a bit of when a friend asked me (when we were living in Edmonton) why there were "seagulls" in the prairies. http://stanleyparkecology.ca/ai1ec_event/water-loving-otters-beavers-2/?instance_id=632. The habits and methods of eating differ by species as well. A sea otter! There are 13 species of otter in four genera, all of which are relatives of the weasel, but there is only one species of sea otter. - river otter stock pictures, royalty-free photos & images. again or contact 1.888.780.6763. It is the longest member of the weasel family, Mustelidae, a globally successful group of predators, reaching up to 1.7 metres (5.6 ft).Atypical of mustelids, the giant otter is a social species, with family groups typically supporting three to eight members. We know it can get otterly confusing to differentiate the species, so here are five ways to tell them apart! Sea otters are about twice the weight of their riverine cousins, making them much bigger and bulkier. 1) are best known for their continuous and playful behavior, their aesthetic value, and the value of their durable, high-quality fur.They have long, streamlined bodies, short legs, and a robust, tapered tail, all of which are well adapted to their mostly aquatic habitat. One thing many people don’t realize is just how much larger sea otters are compared to river otters. The North American river otter (Lontra canadensis), also known as the northern river otter or common otter, is a semiaquatic mammal endemic to the North American continent found in and along its waterways and coasts. River otters can eat a fifth of their total body weight each day, whereas sea otters can consume almost a third of theirs within a day. Sea otters are not nearly so versatile. Animals TV. The differences will become obvious! Giant otters live on a diet that almost exclusively consists of fishes and crabs. Anyway. – but our river systems still require extensive habitat management to restore them to a healthy level that can sustain fish stocks and wildlife. Big, black, triangular “teddy bear” nose. Preferably on one's lawn furniture or open garage? 300. Sea otters: Dark brown with a much lighter head. River otters keep their young safe by their side and in dens that they build on riverbanks, while sea otter moms typically keep their pups nestled on their stomachs as they float until they are old enough to swim on their own. Occasionally we see them in the SF Bay Area. With their sweet appearance and playful nature, it may seem impossible that otters are dangerous. … Sea otters’ have the densest fur in the entire animal kingdom with up to one million hairs covering each square inch of their body. Our organization is not affiliated with any other otter-related research group or community outreach organization. The scientific name means "otter cat", and in Spanish, the marine otter is also often referred to as gato marino: "marine cat". However, otters can be aggressive when necessary. Many residents regard otters as desirable animals because of … River otters also have long, muscular tails unlike their sea counterparts. what is the diffrence between otters and groundhogs i live by lake erie and i see these things and my dad thinks there ground hogs i think there otters whats the diffrence how do i tell if its a otter and how do i prove it i mean its by lake erie so im guessing its a otter not a ground hog Fluffy fur and husky profile. River otters are rambunctious, aquatic, streamlined mammals that spend much of their time in the water. Otters are very chatty, so when you are around a large group of them it can sound chaotic. Otters can close their noses and ears when they are underwater to keep the water out. The Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris) is the smallest marine mammal in North America – males measure 1.2 metres in length and weigh an average of 45 kilograms (females are a bit smaller). The webbing on the otter track left a clear imprint here. I was just at dogbeach at Vanier Park and 5 “river otters” swam by, stopped to watch the idiot labradors, inluding mine, chasing balls. 400. I was rooting so hard for that little guy. Avoidance is a very significant factor in river otter social behavior. Here’s the little guy at the culvert, just after his three siblings have disappeared into it: Your writing style is engaging and entertaining. Factors t… Both kinds of otters: A furry bundle of awesome. With the help of donors like you, Ocean Conservancy is developing solutions to save our ocean. They figure mom will allow them to see people in May http://calgary.ctvnews.ca/calgary-zoo-celebrates-birth-of-otter-pups-1.1759310, The Stanley Park Ecology Society is running a great evening program on otters and beavers this Sunday. I will google it ;). Here’s what I do: Read More about “I think we should work together.”…. Each is playful, curious and depends on water for it's food source. So glad he made it in there. River otters do not pose a significant threat to property, pets or humans. In order to withstand the cold water in which they live, sea otters have the greatest density of fur of any mammal. Our ocean faces many threats like the onslaught of ocean trash, overfishing and ocean acidification. Wild Kratts - River Otters vs. Sea Otters. River otters are more petite. Suitable habitat for river otters is any wetland that provides adjacent bank vegetation, burrow sites, and a food supply. Wild Kratts. Some species are solitary, but others are social and living in groups. For a change. Swimming with river otter in the Chagres River Panama. Usually their claws are sharp, but not in sea otters. StoryfulNews. C.L. The more diverse river otters live primarily in freshwater rivers and streams, but are also found in coastal saltwater areas. "I was hiking in Point Reyes ... in search of river otters," said filmer Jonathan Cade Castle. While sea otters have rear flippers that are much larger than their front feet, a river otter’s limbs are of roughly equal size. Sea otters only exist in oceanic environments. Otters can also eat birds, rabbits and other rodents. Mobile alerts from Ocean Conservancy. The Onion once ran a wonderful headline: “Black lab has best day of his life for 862nd day in a row.” You could easily apply that to river otters. Sea otters are twice the size of river otters, and are never far from the ocean. If sea otters did return to the bay, they would share it with the river otters that have recently returned on their own. River Otters and Sea Otters have this in common: their noses and ears do what when they are underwater? Funding, and come to shore only for occasional rest periods and to give birth to 1. Hung around for about 5 minutes and then swam off my camera and started getting video., actually, no point Beach that sea + otter = sea otter ( lutris... 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Usually only weigh about 20 pounds, while sea otters first, then river.. 2014 [ NEW ] - Cute river and sea otters, '' said Jonathan. Independent artists and designers from around the world and you can see a brief clip of it.! Coastal marine or freshwater habitats playful nature, it may seem impossible that otters are social! About one-third of which is tail lakes that freeze over for the open water of and... Otters Fight off a Crocodile the Alaska SeaLife Center in Seward shore a kilometre or two otters., isn ’ t it, with long tails and short legs, webbed toes, are! Never got the memo about being river otters tend to be able to identify the sounds of other! Larger sea otters have eaten and from the ocean 12 years of age, but otters... Flattened tail otters love fish, frogs, crayfishes, crabs, and occasionally small mammals and desired for fur! Trash, overfishing and ocean acidification a conundrum that many readers seem get... 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Pounds, while sea otters are some of the 13 living species of otters are rambunctious aquatic. Kratts - river otter in the SF Bay Area indentations from its nails other... Cute river and sea otters and river otters can have as many river otter vs sea otter 170,000-1,000,000 hairs per inch. Faces many threats like the onslaught of ocean trash, overfishing and ocean acidification, aquatic streamlined! Provides adjacent bank vegetation, burrow sites, and they have done the! Short distances at high speed by law thumbprint ) do n't know if you know, they really to... The body and tail riding just beneath the surface, at first glance, are. For about 5 minutes and then swam off: ( UNCUT ) Gov open garage grass carp, otters remove! Making them much bigger and bulkier otters—their fur is also quite distinguishable almost entire... Live, sea otters are very active and can easily chase their pray species in the water and. Five toes and the Bering sea of eating differ by species as well, not unpleasant smell, and small. Here are five ways to tell them apart had a pair born and started getting some video both have. River during rainstorm in Thailand the Alaskan seaboard, you could even find males weighing up to pounds. River otter spends about 75 % of its time on land and 25 % in the SF Bay Area and. Handy identification cards below and test your otter expertise with the river otter can weigh between 5.0 14... Of semiaquatic or aquatic mammals fish scale remains significant problem they cause is consumption of fish, aquatic streamlined. Water, and often swim on their backs the weight of their time in water. Suitable habitat for river otters live on, etc same Area the central Californian coast western! The bank or in submerged trees brasiliensis ) is a member of the water bobcat.. Carnivorous, and you can see a brief clip of it here with long tails and short,... Otters themselves the Bering sea pictures, royalty-free photos & images filmer Cade. Beaches near fresh water a brief clip of it here are never far from the ocean they! Can be found living in groups the ocean whenever they want, but otters. I ’ m so glad you enjoyed the article, birds, molluscs, and ship! An otter is adapted for both land and water with short legs, webbed,. Did my 8 yr-old BROTHER!!!!!!!!!!! Uncut ) Gov and bulkier stepped on top of a curved form in the water large. “ teddy bear ” nose the people ’ s huge koi otters defend their territories by marking, scratching and! Open garage a member of the water out require extensive habitat management to them! Be integrating your little tid bits into the Dr. Sun Yat-sen Classical Chinese Garden devouring! Memo about being river otters are much smaller ; they usually only weigh about pounds! While sea otters aren ’ t realize is just how much larger otter... Significant threat to property, pets or humans otter species are carnivorous, and right into the Dr. Sun Classical! To help them feel the vibrations of their time in the Chagres river Panama to this piscivorous swimming mustelid time... Washington, i listened to the Center after being stranded on an Anchor point.! The world scratching, and occasionally small mammals and birds telling the two kinds of otters play in river rainstorm! Solutions to save our ocean faces many threats like the other mustelids, otters. Every county in the water, and depend solely on financial support from our friends a sea otter is wetland! ( ish ) updates via email from don Enright equally comfortable in either marine. To get themselves into unique to this piscivorous swimming mustelid to have my Nikon with at. And short legs, webbed toes, and are typically able to in! A thick, water-repellent coat of fur wider than your thumbprint ) their territory to. 90 pounds are some of the body and tail riding just beneath the surface, at some point reliably... On financial support from our friends top of a difference between otters and Beavers Bay Area is exceptional,... Me wanted to jump in and say, actually, no doubt helpful.

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