New World Otter
| New World Otter | ||||||||||||
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North American river otter ( Lontra canadensis ) |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Lontra | ||||||||||||
| Gray , 1843 |
The new world otters or American otters ( Lontra ) are a genus of predators from the subfamily of otters (Lutrinae) within the family of marten (Mustelidae). The four species of this genus live on the American continent .
features
New world otters are similar to the Eurasian otter and grow to be similar in size. However, they differ in some features, such as the structure of the skull and teeth. Their dense, water-repellent fur is colored brown on the upper side, the underside is light brown or grayish. The muzzle and throat can be white or light gray in color. Like all otters, they have an elongated, cylindrical body. The legs are short, the toes have strong claws and webbed feet. The tail is long and muscular. The head is rounded and has a blunt snout, the ears are small and, like the nostrils, can be closed during dives. New world otters reach a head body length of 46 to 82 centimeters and a tail length of 30 to 57 centimeters. Their weight varies between 3 and 15 kilograms, with the males becoming significantly heavier than the females.
distribution and habitat
New world otters are native to almost the entire American continent , their range extends from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego . They inhabit a range of habitats , but can always be found near water. They live along fresh water such as rivers and lakes, in swamp areas, in the area of estuaries and along the coasts of the sea. One species, the coastal otter, even lives exclusively in coastal regions, while the other species are less picky about their habitat.
Way of life
New world otters are predominantly crepuscular or nocturnal, but sometimes they go in search of food during the day. They use burrows that they have dug themselves or that they have taken over from other animals, and on the coast they also use crevices and small caves. They are excellent swimmers and divers who can stay underwater for up to 8 minutes; but they also move forward quickly and skillfully on land.
Lontra live mainly solitary , the only lasting relationship is that of females with their young. They are territorial animals, the territories cover around 10 to 80 kilometers along a stretch of water. The boundaries of the territories are marked with urine, feces or the secretion of their anal glands . Although territories can overlap over a large area, the animals avoid each other and react more aggressively to other species.
food
New world otters feed primarily on water-dwelling animals such as fish , amphibians , turtles and other reptiles and crustaceans . Sometimes they also eat birds and their eggs, small mammals or insects . They have a high metabolic rate and need to eat a lot.
Reproduction
After a gestation period of around 60 to 63 days, the female gives birth to an average of two to three young. In the north of their range, however, implantation is delayed , so that several months can pass between mating and birth. The newborns are raised in a burrow or a natural shelter, which they leave for the first time at two months. They are weaned after five to six months and leave the mother shortly before the next child is born. Sexual maturity occurs at around two years of age. The life expectancy is in the wild up to 14 years in human care up to 25 years.
New World Otters and humans
Even the Indians hunted the otters for their fur, but the animals also played a role in the mythology of some peoples, which was reflected, for example, in the Otter Association . Today these animals are increasingly endangered in their populations due to forest clearing, river straightening and water pollution . Fur hunting is another danger, the otters are still hunted for their fur in their thousands. In some parts of their range they have become rare, two species are considered, according to IUCN as threatened ( endangered ).
The species
- The North American river otter ( Lontra canadensis ) was originally almost throughout Alaska , Canada and the United States spread; however, through hunting and habitat destruction , they have disappeared or become rare in the eastern, central and southern parts of the United States. They live both along coastal regions and in inland areas, even in high mountain waters.
- The South American river otter ( Lontra longicaudis ) is distributed from Mexico to Uruguay and central Argentina . It lives along rivers and lakes, but also in rice fields and other agricultural areas, and has become rare due to habitat destruction and water pollution.
- The southern river otter ( Lontra provocax ) lives in central and southern Chile and Argentina . Due to hunting and habitat destruction, the species is largely restricted to the southern part around the island of Tierra del Fuego , and the IUCN lists it as threatened.
- The coastal otter ( Lontra felina ) once inhabited the entire Pacific coastal region from southern Peru to Chile and the extreme south of Argentina to the Atlantic. The largest population is now on the Chilean island of Chiloé . The species was introduced to the Falkland Islands .
literature
- Ronald M. Nowak: Walker's Mammals of the World . Johns Hopkins University Press, 1999 ISBN 0-8018-5789-9
