How Do River Otters Protect Themselves?

River otters protect themselves by various methods.

River otters are members of the weasel family and are found throughout Canada

and the United States. They are very curious, love sliding down embankments and

will play with just about anything they can find, including shells and rocks.



Adult river otters are capable of defending themselves, even against their

main predators: bobcats and coyotes.

Communication

River otters connect and communicate among themselves using touch, sound and smell. River otters also mark the boundaries of their territory with a musky odor, by spraying a liquid from the scent glands onto the deposits of their fecal waste matter.

Eating Habits

River otters are very active at dawn and dusk, commonly hunt during the night

and only kill and eat the amount of food they are going to consume. Along with

cleaning themselves after eating, they usually eat in the water or along the bank

of the river, and because they do not hoard food or eat food in their home, this

helps to keep other animals out of their den.

Swimming Abilities

River otters have a special skin covering on their ears and nose that keeps

water out, and even though they tend to be nearsighted on land, their eyes have

special lenses that give them the ability to see underwater. They are strong

swimmers and are able to hold their breath for up to as much as eight minutes, can

swim on the water's surface at a speed of 6 miles per hour and can swim underwater at 3 to 4 miles an hour.

Land Dwellers

River otters may like aquatic environments and hunt for the majority of their

food in water, but two-thirds of their life is spent on land. They can run at a

speed of about 18 miles per hour, and their outer coat is made up of lengthy, strong hair that protects the underneath layer of fur.

By inhabiting an abandoned den away from the activity around the river, a river

otter can further find protection for herself and her offspring, for they never

build their own home and rarely live right on the river.

Protective Parenting

The fact that river otter pups are born toothless, blind and defenseless, means

that the river otter mother must protect her pups from all predators. The mother

river otter will do everything in her power to protect her pups, including putting her own life in danger.

References

• University of Illinois Extension: River Otter
• iloveindia.com: Facts About River Otter