Giant Otter
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The Giant Otter Pteronura brasiliensis is the largest of the world's otters. It is native to South America but is endangered and is also very rare in captivity. The Giant Otter can reach up to 6 ft (1.8 m) in length, and weigh 76 lb (34 kg) in weight. The females are smaller and weigh only 57–60 lb (26–27 kg). It has a lifespan of 12 years in their natural habitat, and 21 years in captivity.
Its fur is dense, thick and velvety, and is highly sought after by fur traders. The guard hairs are short, 5/16 in (8 mm) long, twice as long as the under-fur. The fur is water repellent and is a deep chocolate brown in colour. A unique white mark is located on the throat that can be used to distinguish between individuals. The head is round and the ears are small. The nose is completely covered in fur, with only the two slit-like nostrils visible. The eyes are large and acute, perfect for hunting underwater. The legs are short and stubby and end in large webbed feet tipped with sharp claws. The Giant Otter is well suited for an aquatic life, and can close its ears while underwater.
The Giant Otter is one of the largest predators of its region, and so can choose from a wide variety of animals to feed on. It feeds mainly on fish, such as catfish and perch, but will also feed on crabs, caimans and snakes. It can hunt both in groups and alone, tending to head towards the deeper waters while in groups. It consumes up to 10 lb (4.5 kg) of food each day, using mostly its eyesight to capture its prey.
The Giant Otter is a highly social animal and lives in extended family groups of between 10-20 members. Group members share roles within the group, structured around the dominant breeding pair. The females have a gestation period of 65-70 days, giving birth to 1-5 young. Mothers give birth in an underground den near the river shore. Otter pups are taught to swim after two months and left to fend for themselves after two to three years. The Giant Otter is very sensitive to human activity, and tourists boating too close to a nursing mother can cause her so much stress that she stops producing milk, causing her young to starve. The Giant Otter gives birth annually.
The Giant Otter is known locally in Guyana and northern Brazil as "Lobo del Rio", "the river wolf".
References
- Groenendijk et al (2004). [Pteronura brasiliensis]. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 11 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is endangered
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