Giant otters are capable of attacking some of the most dangerous predators on earth. Otters come from Brazil, giant otters share the South American continent with 3 of the 4 local representatives of the genus Lontra neotropical river otter, southern river otter, and sea otter.

The giant otter is the biggest, the most dangerous, and the deadliest. A giant otter can reach 1.7m in length and weigh about 30kg. They have a muscular tail, strength, endurance, acute hearing, and sharp eyes along with a great sense of smell.

A Giant otter is a very social animal that lives in large family groups. The size of the group can reach up to 20 individuals.

They all travel, sleep, eat, and do other things together. Giant otters are also aggressive and protect their territory at any cost. American River Otters – Badass Animal in The Rivers.

What does a giant otter eat?

Otters can hunt alone, in pairs, or in groups and they eat absolutely everything in a certain area e.g Fish, Crabs, snakes, Anaconda, crocodiles, octopuses, etc.

Otters are very fast in attacking, flexible, have great teamwork, and have powerful jaws. They immediately eat their victims starting with the head i.e There’s absolutely no chance to get out of this fight alive.

Some believe otters are water relatives of Honey Badger that attack other animals for no particular reason. The war between otters and monkeys is long and bloody. Giant otters are afraid of nothing even Jaguars would be a meal if it wandered into otter territory.

Otter interesting fact

Here is another interesting fact, in the language of locals, a giant otter is also called a water jaguar. So these species are worthy opponents.

They are so worthy that there’s only one known case where a Jaguar managed to kill a giant otter and that is because it was alone and on the shore of Jaguar territory. Nobody would overcome the whole gang of giant otters.

Giant otters can live as large families or only with four individuals in a group. In any case in each of these groups, there’s the main one, an alpha female and the coolest, she’s the one who makes decisions about attacks and defense, and takes care of offspring and the whole group.

The male marks a certain area and patrols it with the others. Each of these families has its own territory which they protect.

Giant otters are known to attack people as well. These creatures are badass and the best advice is to stay far away from them. American River Otters – Badass Animal in The Rivers

Do otters have good eyesight?

Sea otters have good eyesight, above and below the water. The nostrils and ears close when underwater. Sea otters have a good sense of smell and can hear very well. Whiskers sense vibrations in the water. see source

What colors can Otters see?

In a recent study, A. cineraria showed the ability to discriminate gray from white, green, blue, and red (Svoke, Snyder, & Elgart, 2014). In Svoke et al.’s (2014) study, one otter could discriminate blue versus green and blue versus red, but not red versus green. see source.

Top 10 Amazing facts about North American River Otters

The North American River otters are also known as northern river otters or the common otter. They are a species of otter found in North America. They inhabit inland waterways and coaster areas in Canada, the Pacific Northwest, the Atlantic states, and the Gulf of Mexico.

• North American river otters live in freshwater and coastal marine habitats including rivers, lakes, marshes, swamps, and estuaries. They can tolerate a great range of temperatures and elevations.
• The Average Lifespan for North American river otters is from 8 to 9 years in the wild, while in captivity individual otters may live up to 25 years.
• The North American River otter’s body length ranges from 66 to 107 centimeters ( 26 to 42 in). It weighs from 8.5 to 12 kg ( 19 to 26Ibs).
• They have long, streamlined bodies, thick tapered tails, and short legs. They have wide, rounded heads, small ears, and nostrils that can be closed underwater.
• The Vibrissae are long and thick, reflecting their importance in sensory perception. They are used extensively in hunting like the smell, vision, and hearing are diminished in the water.
• The toes are fully webbed, and the tail ( one-third of body length) is tapered.
• The River otter is protected and insulated by a thick, water-repellent coat of fur. The fur is dark brown to almost black above and a lighter color ventrally. The throat and cheek are usually a golden brown.
• The North American river otter is one of the most playful, curious, and active species of otter.
• They are excellent swimmers and divers able to stay underwater for up to 8 minutes.
• They are also fast on land, capable of running at up to 30km/h (19miles).

9 Amazing facts about North American River Otters

• North American otters are highly mobile and have the capacity of traveling up to 42km(26mi) in one day. These otters are active year-round and are most active at night and during crepuscular hours. They become much more nocturnal in the springs, summer, and fall seasons, and more diurnal during winter.
• These otters eat mainly aquatic organisms such as amphibians, fish, crabs, turtles, crayfish, and other invertebrates. birds, their eggs, and small terrestrial mammals are also eaten occasionally. They sometimes eat aquatic plants
• They use a wide range of vocalizations, from whistles and buzzes to twitters, staccato chuckles, chirps, and growls.
• These otters build dens in the burrows of other mammals, in natural hollows, such as under a log, or in river banks. Dens have underwater entrances and a tunnel leading to a nest chamber that is lined with leaves, grass, moss, bark, and hair.
• They live alone or in family groups, typically females and their young.
• Males and females come together to breed in late winter or early spring. Gestation lasts two months, but the young may be born up to a year after mating because these otters employ delayed implantation.
• They are born with fur but are otherwise helpless, can open their eyes at one month of age, and are weaned at about 3 months old.
• They begin to leave their natal range from 6 months to a year old. Juvenile otters usually remain with the female until she bears her next litter the following spring.
• North American river otters are sometimes taken by bobcats, coyotes, birds of prey, alligators, and other large predators. They mainly escape predation through their agility in the water and on land, their vigilance, and their ability to fiercely defend themselves and their young.
• They have become a popular exhibit in zoos and aquaria, but unwelcome on agricultural land because they alter river banks for their access, sliding, and defense.
• North American river otters seem to be sensitive to pollution and disappear from areas with polluted waters.
• Some Jurisdictions have made otters a protected species in some areas, and some places have otter sanctuaries. These sanctuaries help ill and injured otters to recover. What do you think about these interesting facts? please tell us in the comment below and share.