North American river otter

North American river otter

HEY WAT ARE U LOOKIN AT

By: Daphnie M.

The Northern/ North American river otter is a realated species to the "sea otter." Describe your animal: Large, weasel-like, carnivore, upper part looks black when wet, it is paler below and the chest is often silver/gray, head is broad and flattened, and has small eyes and ears and prominent, whitish whiskers.The feet are webbed.The long tail is thick at the base and gradually tapers to the tip.The male is larger than the female or in gender.
Color:Brown-ish around the whole body and white-ish under the chest.
Size:3½-4½ft.
Length:3½-4½ft.
Weight:10-24 lb.

Interesting fact #1
North American river otters are often mistaken for Sea otters.
Another name/scientific name for a northern/north american river otter is Lontra canadensis

this is a sea otter (above)

Interesting fact #1
North American river otters are often mistaken for Sea otters.
Another name/scientific name for a northern/north american river otter is Lontra canadensis

Interesting fact #2
North American river otters are nocturnal close to human activity.

this is a North American river otter (above)

food

In the wild the animal that I am studying eats....crayfish, fish,insects, earthworms, turtles, crabs, and young beavers and etc.

They are carnivores so they pretty much like any seafood.

Still food

While in the animal rescue, my animal needs to eat: crayfish, fish, earthworms, crabs and some other insects

From a pet store you can buy or ask for:
*earthworms
*Other insects
From a fisherman you can buy or ask for:
*Fish
*Crayfish
*crabs

habitat

In the wild the North American river otters live in…wooded rivers, ponds and lakes, but they sometimes roam far from water. They are common on the coast where they eat crabs, and saltwater fish. They may be active day or night, but they tend to be more nocturnal close to human activity. In winter in the interior of the Pacific Northwest, North American river otters almost invariably seek lakes with beaver lodges or bog ponds with steep banks that contain old beaver burrows, through which an otter can enter the water.

still habitat

The habitat at the rescue center needs to have the following things in it:
A pool that work like a pond
Sticks, twigs,
Bushes, trees nearby
Ability to hunt for food.
My animal likes to have swimable water nearby.
They can get stressed out if lots of people are in the habitat.

Be careful in habitat

You need to be careful in habitat because North American river otters are small animals and are pretty much weak, and also you need to be careful because if you do something to harm them or their babies they will attack by possibly biting or making a really awful noise that sounds like they're screaming.