Neotropical Otter

Lontra longicaudis

 

Identification

 

Size: From nose to tail, the Neotropical Otter is 90 to 136 cm long. The tail alone is 37 to 57 cm long.

Color: This otter is rusty to grayish brown, with lighter underfur, and an even lighter belly.

Nose: The shape of the nose helps to differentiate between the three subspecies.

Feet: The Neotropical Otter's feet are small and fully webbed, with strong claws.

Fur: Very thick and soft. The guardhairs are 1.2 to 1.4 cm long, and the underhairs are 7 to 9 mm long.

Track/Sign: Neotropical Otters scent mark by depositing feces on high ground close to deep water. Their communications are generally described as hums, screeches, and whistles.

 

Ecology

Habitat: Almost all waters, including marine.

Range/Distribution: South central America.

Threats: Overhunting, habitat destruction, and water pollution are all major threats to the Neotropical Otter.

Natural predators are caimans, wild dogs, jaguars, anacondas, and birds of prey.

Conservation Status: Threatened

 

Food: Fish, crustaceans, and mollusks.

 

Behavior

Life Cycle: Male and female Neotropical Otters meet one day a year for breeding, and then go their separate ways. There is no regular mating season for Neotropical Otters, likely because the weather does not vary from season to season enough for it to matter. The pups are born fully furred in litters of two or three after a 56 day gestation period. They open their eyes at about 44 days old, leave the holt for the first time at 52 days, and begin joining their mother for short outings at about 74 days old. Holts are dug near a source of fresh water out of crevices in limestone, under fallen logs or large tree roots, or on rocky shorelines.

Social: Unlike most other otter species, the Neotropical Otter is relatively solitary.

Individual:

 

 

 

 

 

 

About:

Names:

Spanish: Lobito de Rio, Mutria, Gato de agua
French: Loutre d'Amerique du Sud, Loutre a longue queue
German: Sudamerikanischer FichOtter
Italian: lontra di fume
Other scientific names

L. platenisis
L. incarum
L. enduris
L. insularis
L. repanda
L. latidens
L.a. colombiana
L.e. mitis

 

Subspecies: There are three subspecies of the Neotropical Otter. The easiest way to tell them apart is by the shape of their noses.

Lutra longicaudis annectens
Lutra longicaudis enudris
Lutra longicaudis platenisis

Links: Neotropical otter research , lioncrusher's page , otterjoy's page on lontra_longicaudis.html