River otters are super cool animals!
The river otter is a super cool, common animal of the Rocky Mountains. Here are 8 facts about this joyous, playful, swimming mammal.
I can remember the few times I’ve been lucky enough to see a river otter in the wild. Once I saw one swimming in the Green River of Utah when I was on a canoe trip. One other time I saw one… actually now that I think about it that was the only river otter I’ve seen in the wild. I’ve also seen otters in the ocean or at the zoo. One of my kids favorite animals to see at the zoo is the river otter. They are so smooth and silky and they always look like they’re having lots of fun.
8 River Otter Facts
These animals are incredible swimmers. One adaptation that helps them swim though the water are their webbed feet. Those webbed feet along with their streamlined bodies help them slip and glide through water.
River otters have short legs and webbed feet, both of which help them to be good swimmers.
Their entire bodies are shaped for swimming. They have short legs, a long body, and a long, powerful tail that tapers down to a point.
River otters are able to close their nostrils and their ears when they are swimming under water. This helps to keep water out and enables them to stay underwater for a long time. It may be shocking to hear, but they can hold their breath for up to 8 minutes!
Most animals have a regular routine for when they sleep and when they are awake. In other words they are either nocturnal or diurnal. It tuns out that there are some, such as a river otter, that are neither. Instead they are cathemeral, their routine varies. Some times they are active in the evening. Other times they are active during the middle of the day and other times they are more nocturnal.
River otters are active during the winter.
River otters are one of the mammals that does not migrate or hibernate during winter in the Rocky Mountains. Instead they adapt and alter when they are active. During summer they are generally active at night, but during winter they are usually active during the day.
Not surprisingly, since these mammals live in water, they are carnivores and eat lots of fish. In addition to fish, they will eat frogs, turtles, and muskrats.
There are 13 different species of otters in the world, some of which live in the ocean and others live in freshwater. Otters live throughout the world, including in North & South America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. The species in the Rocky Mountains is called a Northern River Otter.