Eurasian otter

The Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra), also known as the European otter, is a semiaquatic mammal that lives in places like Eurasia and the Maghreb. It belongs to the otter subfamily of the weasel family.

Eurasian otters live in rivers and coastal areas across Europe, much of Asia, and parts of North Africa. These animals are good at swimming and catching fish.

Eurasian otters are usually alone and protect their own areas. They mark these places to keep other otters away. Even though they sometimes face danger, their numbers are getting better in many places because of efforts to help them. These clever animals are important for keeping water ecosystems healthy.

Description

The Eurasian otter is a typical member of the otter family. It has brown fur on its back and cream-colored fur on its belly. These animals are long and slender, perfect for life in the water.

This otter is different from the North American river otter because it has a shorter neck, a broader face, more space between its ears, and a longer tail. Usually, it measures between 57 to 95 cm long, not counting its tail, which is 35–45 cm. Females are smaller than males. Most weigh between 7 to 12 kg, but very large males can weigh up to 17 kg.

Distribution and habitat

The Eurasian otter lives in many places, including Europe, parts of North Africa, and Asia as far as the Palestine region. It is no longer found in Liechtenstein and Switzerland, but it is common in Latvia, along the coast of Norway, in western Spain and Portugal, and across Great Britain and Ireland. In Italy, it lives in the southern part of the country.

This otter prefers clean freshwater places like lakes, streams, rivers, canals, and ponds where it can find food. In Andalusia, it even uses artificial lakes on golf courses. It also lives along coastlines in saltwater but needs regular access to freshwater to keep its fur clean. In Syria, it has been seen in creeks and the lower Euphrates valley. In Nepal, it lives in rivers at high elevations, and in India, it is found in the Himalayan foothills, southern Western Ghats, and central India.

Behaviour and ecology

The Eurasian otter mainly eats fish, especially where there are lots of fish, like in the Mediterranean and cooler freshwater areas.

In winter or colder places, otters also eat amphibians, worms, clams, crustaceans, insects, eggs, birds, and small mammals. They sometimes hunt larger animals, like adult greylag geese.

Eurasian otters live alone and mark their territory with their faeces, called spraints. These territories can be between 1 and 40 kilometres long, depending on food and hunting space. Males and females can have overlapping territories, but they only defend them against others of the same sex. Mating happens in water, and females can breed any time of the year. After a pregnancy of about 60 to 64 days, one to four pups are born. The pups stay with their mother for about 13 months.

Taxonomy

The Eurasian otter was once thought to include an extinct type called the Japanese otter as one of its subspecies. But new research shows that the Japanese otter is its own special kind of animal, not just a variation of the Eurasian otter. Scientists are still learning more about this.

Conservation

The Eurasian otter had big problems in the second half of the 20th century. Harmful chemicals and loss of homes caused trouble. But now, things are better in many parts of Europe. In the United Kingdom, otters are coming back. This is because harmful chemicals are banned, water is cleaner, and there are laws to protect otters.

In places like Germany, Hong Kong, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, and Mongolia, otters still need help to stay safe. Special groups work to protect their homes and help them grow in number. Scientists studied the otters' genes and found they are still healthy even with fewer numbers. But changes in their food, like fewer native fish, could be a challenge for their future.