World Otter Day is celebrated annually on the last Wednesday of May. In celebration, watch my presentation on River Otter biology and also my otter sketching demonstration below.
Fascinating Facts About Otters
• Otters belong to a family of carnivorous mammals known as the Mustelids which includes mink, marten, weasels, badgers, ferrets, and wolverines.
• There are 13 species of otters of two types: river otters and sea otters.
• River otters are semi-aquatic, living in rivers, lakes and wetlands and inhabit all continents except Australia and Antarctica.
• There are only two species of sea otters; the Marine Otter of South America’s Pacific coast and the Sea Otter of North America’s Pacific Northwest region.
• Male otters are called dogs or boars, females are called bitches or sows, and their offspring are called pups. A group of otters is known as a bevy, family, lodge, or romp.
• Otters have many adaptations for life in the water and are strong swimmers. They are streamlined, with trim bodies and a long powerful tail that acts like a rudder. They also have webbing between their toes and their nostrils and ears can close when they dive underwater. Otters lack a layer of blubber so they must keep warm with their waterproof fur.
• In fact, otters have the densest fur known in the animal kingdom; up to a million hairs per square inch!
• Many of the world’s species of otters are endangered due to historic hunting for their luxurious fur and loss of habitat.
Draw Otters With Me!
Learn to draw swimming river otters with me in the video below, and print your complimentary River Otter Reference Photos too (be patient with download time as it’s a large file of high-resolution images!)
