Otters are semiaquatic members of the Mustelidae family, which also includes weasels, badgers, ferrets, and mink. The IUCN Mustelid and Viverrid Action Plan include the conservation of the entire family Mustelidae with the exception of the otter. Of the 13 otter species in the Lutrinae subfamily, the most recent edition of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Animals lists eight otters as ‘Vulnerable’ or without data.
Sea otters search for food using their front paws and highly sensitive noses. Whiskers, in the nose act like fingers; they can move individually and sense where their prey is. Prey can include a multitude of different foods, including sea snails, mussels, crabs, clams, abalone, sea urchins, and many other animals.
Otters are carnivores that are on the top of the food chain. Food chains are forming a food web. Imagine there were no otters. This would influence all the animals that surround it in the food chain. If pollution, such as plastic, enters the water and the otters didn’t eat it, would this still be bad for otters?
Otters are carnivores and love to find an eel for lunch. Otters have such thick, waterproof fur, with up to a million hairs per square inch! Their webbed feet and strong tail make them a successful predator and at the top of the food chain. They have adapted to life on land and in the water. They have webbed feet and the ability to shut their noses and ears underwater. Otters like to play. So otters have two coats of fur.
Otters are one of the largest and most social members of the weasel (or Mustelidae) family. The weasel family has been around for a long time, first appearing around 15 million years ago. This group includes almost 60 different species including mink, ferrets, badgers, martens, wolverines, and more. The Mustelidae family inhabits all continents except Antarctica and Australia. All are primarily carnivores and most are active year-round.
