Otters Solve Problems, and They Make Their Environments Into Playgrounds

december 2019 JOY // OTTER // ORANGE

With sleek bodies, webbed paws, Fun and games strengthen social bonds, perfect hunting habits, and other aquatic adaptations, otters and allow otters to scent mark territories. Young otters know how are built for fun. These furry water to swim, but their mothers lead them into water the first time. acrobats are found on all continents except Australia and Antarctica. With eyes and ears on the top of its head, an otter can easily swim while keeping tabs on what’s going on. When otters dive, their The North American River Otter is eyes, ears, and nostrils close. A river otter can dive 60 feet and happy in a variety of habitats. The stay underwater several minutes! only requirements to sustain them: good water; food (fish, crustaceans, They are safer in water than on land. Otter predators include mollusks, birds, small mammals, and coyotes, bobcats, dogs, cougars, and bears. Otters were insects); and shelter. historically hunted by humans for their pelts.

River otters are usually solitary or The river otter’s ocean-faring cousin, the sea otter, is much larger live in pairs, but sometimes they and rarely comes ashore. Sea otters can dive hundreds of feet! gather in groups. Their streamlined They are also among the few mammals besides primates to use physiques and strong tails make it tools. To open shellfish, sea otters use rocks like hammers. easy to twist, turn, and dive in water or down a hillside. Any smooth JOY: Finding a way to be happy, even when things don’t go slope can become a slide, whether your way. covered in mud, snow or ice.

Otters solve problems, and they make their environments into playgrounds.