Maps of Otter Species

There are 13 known species of otters. Maxwells' Otter, considered by some to be a sub-species of SmoothCoated Otter, is believed extinct since the 1970s.

 

 

Ecology

Habitat: Otters love the water! They are never too far from a good source of fresh water, whether that be a river, lake, stream, or pond. They are occasionally found in the ocean, where it is close to fresh water so they can rinse off.

Range/Distribution: Otters were traditionally found throughout the Americas, in Europe, Asia, and Africa. Otters are still found on all of these continents, but many of the populations are threatened. Otters are not found in Australia or the surrounding islands, or Antarctica. See map for distribution of specific species.

Threats: Otters have some natural predators, but the greatest current threat to otters is competition from man for food, habitat, and their furs.

Conservation Status: Conservation status ranges from ------ to ------. 

 

Food: Though preferences change, otters tend to eat similar things worldwide: fish, amphibians, crustaceans, mollusks, and small birds.

 

Links: Links to other websites or sources of information about a particular species. For more information please visit the links page!