Find a field sign (e.g. A river otter’s metabolic rate is approximately 50% higher than a similarly sized land mammal’s. These playful mammals eat fish and depend on healthy water habitats. Left: River otter scat, also known as a spraint. European river otter (Lutra lutra) runs and spraint in bracken, Ardnamurchan, Scotland, January 2009 - Acquista questa foto stock ed esplora foto simili in Adobe Stock Dense, oily fur and heavy layers of body fat insulate them in the water. So, what can scientists learn from collecting and studying river otters’ poop? It’s not just poop you find in latrines. Spraint composition is unique to each otter, and the creatures can identify each other by the smells. River otters are territorial and will mark their territory with feces (or spraint) as a warning to others. or They hunt either alone or in pairs. Scientific name: Lutra canadensis ; Weight: 11-30 lbs. To dissolve the matrix and leave the cleaned bones, I used denture cleaning tablets. Bears, armadillos, and seals are just some examples of animals that use this strategy. On land, otters rely on their sense of smell, hearing and touch to get around. The… They generally forage in the water, but they can also hunt on land. Due to their webbed feet and muscular tails, it comes as no surprise that river otters are excellent swimmers. It prefers to dine on fish, but also eats crayfish, and occasionally small mammals and birds. River otters are underwater acrobats that are known for their social and playful behavior and have been observed sliding down slippery slopes for fun. Latrines offer river otters a stinky “phone a friend” with their neighbors. It … Biologydictionary.net Editors. River otters have brown or grey fur on top with a lighter underside. Neotropical otter diet . comm.). 1999) and released 346 river otter from 1994 to 1996 in central Illinois (Fig. 1999). River Otters feed nocturnally on insects, crustaceans, fish, amphibians, reptiles, and birds, relying on their very keen eyesight, hearing, and smell to detect their prey. Spraint stations tend to be evenly spaced throughout an otter's range, about 40 to 70 m (131–230 ft.) apart. The European River Otter shares similar sleeping habits, spending most of the day sleeping in undergrowth or the holes which are their dens. Sensitive whiskers help even more to find food on the riverbed. Like the feed on a Facebook account, latrines keep otters up to date on who is around, how they are feeling, and who’s ready to have babies. Female otters give birth to between one and six pups. ii) compare otter diet in different river systems and urban and rural environments. The correct number is 07932 943344. Dung is used by many animals to mark their territory. Otters spraint upto 20 times per day (Andrew Crawford pers. An otter is muscular, streamlined and solidly built. (You can read all about it here.). River otter scats sometimes have a jelly-like substance in them. A mature male otter weighs 10 to 25 pounds and is 30 to 40 inches in length, plus a 12- to 15-inch tail. One of two Otters feeding their way down the river Dodder. North American river otters tend to have spraint sites at vantage points, such as under bridges, on prominent rocks at the seashore, and near trees. We observed predation by river otters (Lontra canadensis) on large numbers of Florida cooter (Pseudemys floridana) and Florida softshell turtles (Apalone ferox) in two small lakes in North Central Florida, USA during a period of unusually low water levels.Carcasses were strewn on the shoreline and accumulated around floating boat docks, where some residents observed turtles being killed. The North American river otter (Lontra canadensis), also known as the northern river otter or common otter, is a semiaquatic mammal endemic to the North American continent found in and along its waterways and coasts. Their home range shrinks during breeding and rearing season. Scent is the most important sense for communication in all freshwater species. I live here!” Spraints carry chemical signals They have scent glands at the base of their tail, and they deposit their musky scent on their dung, which is called spraint. The Otter Population / Spraint markings are being carefully recorded. This otter differs from the North American river otter by its shorter neck, broader visage, the greater space between the ears and its longer tail. As they dive underwater, they close their ears and nostrils to keep water out. They deposit their musky scent on their spraint. Keep up-to-date on: 17th Annual Photo Contest Finalists Announced. The river otter is protected and insulated by a thick, water-repellent coat of fur. This also includes the ear bones of the fish that the otters eat. Although they are able to reproduce annually, it is more likely for this species to give birth every two years. By counting the rings on the fish’s scales and ear bones, scientists can learn the age of fish that the otters eat. Smithsonian Voices Smithsonian Environmental Research Center. The dens have entrances underwater so that they can be reached from the water. Many of the parasites that get into river otters (from what they eat) can also infect other mammals, including humans. Lontra canadensis. Anal jelly has more intact DNA than the food that the otters have partially digested. They say it is the first time in 25 years that otter "spraint", or faeces, have been found in the River Sowe at Baginton. Hickling Nature Reserve, Norfolk Wildlife Trust. Get the best of Smithsonian magazine by email. Another fresh scat deposited near the one above. Ewwww! Spraint is a visual and olfactory indicator of an otter's presence. (Credit: Karen McDonald) Right: River otter anal jelly is also found in latrines. The female will then spend all her time hunting to increase her body fat. River otters are well suited to life in the water. spraint! In each spraint sampling, we traveled the chosen river stretch by boat, going up the river along one margin and down the river on the other, collecting all the spraints found. Note: The report on ratter Phil Bastey added an extra digit in his phone number. River otters are found in a variety of habitats that range from temperate to very cold. They live in riparian zones, which are the areas that border stream, rivers, and lakes. Their ears and nose close when they go underwater. Because the poop of river otters can tell us important health information about the presence of parasites, they are critical sentinels, or “watch weasels” (instead of watch dogs), in the Chesapeake Bay. You can normally see the remains of fish scales and bones within the spraint, often deposited on boulders or rocks in and by the river. Otters spend a lot of time exploring the spraint of others. Tweet; Description: Spraint, or scat of an otter is full of fish scales, and has the distinct smell of fish. Read more: The Secret Lives of River Otters (And Their Parasites), Continue River otters are prey for bobcats, alligators, coyotes, raptors, and other large predators. When otters leave the sea, they will often swim through a fresh water pool, burn or river. Future work (subject to further funding) We hope to continue this work to develop and improve methods for studying otter numbers and distribution. This means that even in warm water, aquatic mammals lose heat quickly. 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