Cape Clawless Otter

Aonyx capensis

 

Identification

 

Size: Nose to tail, the Cape Clawless Otter is 117 to 163 cm long. The tail alone is 40 to 67 cm long. They weigh 25 to 40 lbs.

Color: Dark brown to tan, with lighter undersides. Distinctive facial markings.

Nose: The nose is diamond shaped, with the nostrils in the lower edges.

Feet: The Cape Clawless Otter's feet have almost no webbing, and claws only on the three middle toes of the hind feet. The front feet are very sensitive and hand-like.

Fur: The fur is very soft and sleek. The guardhairs are 9 to 10 mm, and the underhairs are 5 to 6 mm long.

Track/Sign: No info at this time.

 

Ecology

Habitat: Den under/in protective cover such as logs, ledges, etc. Cape Clawless Otters are always near a permanent water sources such as rivers, lakes, streams, marshes, dams, estuaries, and coastal areas. Such locations could be in semi-arid plains as easily as in rainforests.

Range/Distribution: Southern, central, and eastern Africa.

Threats: The Cape Clawless Otter's main predators are crocodiles and pythons. Eagles can also pose a major threat to younger otters.

Habitat destruction and fur trade are both issues for this otter, but are not currently a great danger to them.

Conservation Status: Least Concern

 

 

Food: Cape clawless otters eat amphibians, crustaceans, mollusks, birds, eggs, small mammals, and frogs. They do eat fish, but not as frequently as other otter species. They hunt by sight in clear water, and by feel in the mud. They capture prey with their hands. Cape clawless otters generally eat fish starting at the head and finishing at the tail.

 

 

 

Behavior

Life Cycle: The Cape clawless otter has a gestation period of 60-67 days. They usually give birth to two or three young, and have one litter a year. There is no set breeding season. The pups are born with claws that they later lose, and are generally raised by their mother alone. They make their first trips out of the den with their mother when they are about a month old. They are weaned when they are about 45-60 days old. Cape clawless otters reach maturity at about a year old, and go out on their own soon after.

Social: Cape clawless otters have relatively large territories, 10.6 mi for males and 8.7 mi for females, but they spend most of their time in about half of this space. Their territories also have a lot of overlap with those of the otters around them, most of whom they are related to. They tend to form loose social groups with these other otters, and often forage together. Conflict only occurs between males competing for a mate.

Individual: Cape clawless otters are generally diurnal, but will hunt at night when the moon is bright. They are generally inactive during the hottest part of the day. Like other otters, they are incredibly playful and are excellent swimmers. They entertain themselves by tossing and catching food and other small objects, often throwing an object into the water to catch it before it hits the bottom. They also play games wrestling with each other, and sliding down mud banks into the water. Cape clawless otters are often seen alone, but can also be found in family groups of four or five.

They don't spend as much time in the water as other otter species (except the Congo Clawless Otter, which is so closely related that researchers are not positive that they are different species), and they are willing to travel farther from it in search of a new home.

 

About: The cape clawless otter is the second largest species of freshwater otter. Like most otter species, they can close their nostrils and ears underwater. The genus name, Aonyx means "not clawed", and the species name, capensis, refers to this otter's primary territory, as it means "belonging to the Cape Province area of South Africa."

Cape clawless otters have very sensitive fingers that they use for digging, manipulating objects, or catching prey. They can be right- or left-handed, just like humans can.

Names:

Also called: African Clawless Otter
Spanish: Nutria africana and Nutria de cuello blanco
French: Loutre a joues blanches
German: WeisswangenOtter and KapOtter
Italian: Lontra dalle guance bianche and Aonice capensi
Swahili: Fisi maji kubwa

Afrikaans: GrootOtter
Scientific names: Aonyx Capensis

 

Subspecies:

Aonyx capensis capensis

Aonyx capensis hindei

Aonyx capensis meneleki

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Links: predatorconservation's page on capeclawlessotter , conservenature's page on Otters/Cape-Clawless-Otter