river otters
DESCRIPTION
Mustelid family. Lutra canadensis. River Otters. Aquatic mammals. 10-25 pounds 30-40 inches long + 12-15 inch tail 10-20 years life span Furred tail Eyes protrude 2 fur layers – underfur 7 guard hairs, subcutaneous fat. Swimming. Underwater locomotion Body Feet & tail steering - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
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River OttersLutra canadensis
Mustelid family
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Aquatic mammals• 10-25 pounds• 30-40 inches long• + 12-15 inch tail• 10-20 years life span• Furred tail• Eyes protrude• 2 fur layers – • underfur 7 guard hairs, subcutaneous fat
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Swimming• Underwater locomotion • Body• Feet & tail steering
• 4 minutes, ¼ mile• 7 miles/hour• Dive 50 feet• Best in water of all land mammals• Valves – seal ears & nose• Pulse rate drops• Slows blood & O2 circulation
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Swimming
• Excellent hearing• Ok eyes on land• Great eyes under water• Keen sense smell• Whiskers – search for
food
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Diet - carnivores• Fish• Minnows• Sunfish• Suckers• Carp• TroutAquatic plants/rootsCrunch thru shells
• Frogs• Turtles• Snails• Mussels• Crayfish• Snakes & eggs• Worms• Insects• muskrats
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Teeth - 36• More teeth than any other mustelid in PA• 5 molars each side of upper and lower jaws• Only carnivore in PA w/ all these molars• Molars – perfect for crushing shells
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Play• Wrestle• Slide• Sled• Sounds• Chirp, chitter, chuckles, grumbles• Screams– danger
• otters playing
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• No hibernation• No food storage• Winter – water warmer
• River freeze• Swim under ice find air
pockets, dens
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Dens• Lakes, rivers, streams, islands, marsh high ground• Under tree roots, rock piles, • Abandoned beaver, muskrat, or woodchuck burrows• Beaver lodges• Underwater entrance hole, living space above water,
several air or exit holes
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Reproduction• Mature 2 years• Breed Jan – May in water• Delayed implantation (Dec, Jan, Feb)• 2 months gestation• 1 – 5 young• Males polygamous
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Babies• Born April or May• Blind & toothless• Blind 5 weeks• Den until 3 – 4 months old• Learn to swim with mom
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Pennsylvania
• Protected since 1952• No hunting, no trapping• Restocking since 1980’s• Water Pollution & strip mine runoff- improved conditions• Population size?
• Secretive• Nocturnal• Most in NE PA
• NY & MD – high pops & trapping legal
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Keystone species• Clean water• Habitat provides for needs of many other species
• Opportunistic feeders• Habitat loss & water pollution• Avoid humans• Top of food chain• Social• Playful
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Important questions ???• How are otters designed for life in the water?• Why is clean water important to otters?• Why is it difficult to know the otter population in PA?• Are otters active in winter or do they hibernate?• Carnivores or herbivores?• Diurnal or nocturnal?• How can river otters guarantee that offspring will be born in the spring?• Describe how an otter swims.• When was restocking of otters introduced in PA?• What family do otters belong to?• How many teeth do they have?
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