Information and Facts
about Otters

Introduction to Otters

Most people find the Otter to be a friendly looking creature. They tend to leave humans alone so they aren’t a threat if you happen to come upon one. However, they can bite and they can fight with their tails so if you are provoking an attack then you have been warned.

They have been around for at least 30 million years based on early fossil remains. They are found in very diverse locations and even small bodies of water. The future for some of the species is in danger though due to hunting and due to the destruction of their natural habitat. Many of them can’t find enough food to survive or the waters around them are polluted which results in them becoming very ill.

Most Otters are very social and the have a great time with each other. They are quite playful so people tend to want to observe them. Some of the common activities include climbing up hills and sliding down them as well as wrestling with each other. They also can create tools from items in their environment that they play with and that they use for protection.

Since Otters live in so many different locations, it is easy for them to be observed. Still, there is more research that needs to be done about their abilities to adapt, survival skills, threats from humans and other animals, and their communication with each other. However, there is still a great deal that we don’t know about them.

There are some Otters in captivity and they tend to do just fine. They aren’t expensive animals to care for either. Plenty of research information has been collected from those in captivity. Of course that has created so tension though with various animal rights groups. They don’t feel the Otter should be in captivity unless there are health concerns that prevent it from being able to live on its own in the wild.

The efforts over the years to protect the Otters have mostly been successful though. Only one species remains in real danger right now while a handful of others are considered to be vulnerable. With plenty of conservation efforts in place right now though there is a very good chance that we will see these creatures surviving well into the future.