This goofy looking animal is known as the Giant River Otter (Pteronura basiliensis) and are endemic to the South American river systems. Easily recognized by their blunt, sloping muzzles and long vibrissae, or whiskers, they are huge members of the weasel family. These giant weasels are made for water life, with powerful tails, webbed feet, water repellent fur, and nostrils and ears that close underwater. All these adaptations allow the otter to hunt for it’s favorite prey, fish. Each animal eats anywhere from 6-9 lb (3-4 kg) a day, multiply that by their life expectancy (12-14 years) and that’s a ton of food! Crustaceans, snakes, and other river creatures may also make up this animal’s diet. They may collaborate and work together to meet this daily intake quota. Living with their family, which often consists of monogamous parents and multiple children from previous breeding seasons, they’ll den by burrowing into banks and fallen logs. This is the location where they will raise their young. Offspring stay in dens for up to a month, but grow up remarkably quick. In just nine months, it’s hard to decipher mother from child. Unfortunately, these otters were hunted extensively for their beautiful fur. Being endangered, they are now among the rarest river otters in the world, with only a few thousand in the wild.
Photo credit: Amanda Castleman
