They have, as the name suggests, small nails on their paws that are shorter than the length of the digits. It is much easier to list the habitats that river otters don’t live in than to list the areas they do. Where do sea otters live map? They are found in wetlands and along lake and river banks throughout the south of Asia, but their numbers are dwindling as habitat is lost. River otter trapping regulations As predators that are near the top of the food chain, otters are hugely important for keeping their environments balanced. Please do not trap live otters and then drown them, as it is considered illegal in many states and is a painful way for any animal to die, which can last anywhere up to eight minutes. 3. The river otter is protected and insulated by a thick, water-repellent coat of fur. Otter Dens. The length of an otter’s dives depends on the individual species. Where do sea otters live in the world? Small-clawed otters live in family groups of 6 to 12 individuals. Approximately 90 percent of the world’s sea otters live in coastal Alaska. North American river otters were hunted and trapped extensively for their fur in the 19th and 20th centuries, and are still hunted in some places. Neotropical otters range from Uruguay north to Central America and Mexico. There are three subspecies of sea otters: southern, northern and Russian sea otters. Their return to the Twin Cities is a success story for the Mississippi River, showing positive change in water quality and trapping regulations. So otters live in two different worlds, no actually three: the dry one we are familiar with, the under water world and the under ice world. They live in riparian zones, often in the same areas as beavers. The only types of ecosystems in which otters cannot be found are deserts, mountains, and polar regions. Otters live in a wide variety of watery locations, from the mighty Amazon to the heart of Singapore. 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. Conservation. Southern river otters are found in Argentina and Chile. A sea otter snoozes on its back -- showing its hind legs, tail and webbed feet, which make otters great swimmers. River otters are found throughout most of North America from the Rio Grande to Canada and Alaska, except for in arid deserts and the treeless Arctic. Africa In the latter two they get most of their food. The north American range of sea otters extends from the Aleutian Islands to Prince William Sound. River otters were nearly extirpated from Minnesota by the early twentieth century from pollution, habitat loss and trapping. The northern sea otter tends to haul out more than others. Their aquatic habitats can be both marine and fresh … These have hidden, underwater entrances for protection from predators, which makes them attractive to otters. Marine otters live along the Pacific coast of South America, ranging from northern Peru to Tierra del Fuego. Any burrow or den taken over by these animals is called a holt. Photo by Bob Winfree, National Park Service. But the sea otter’s habitat is unique, as they only live in shallow coastal waters in the North Pacific ocean. Most sea otters call Alaska home. They do need dry land, though. Other Shelters. An adult North American river otter can weigh between 5.0 and 14 kg (11.0 and 30.9 lb). They can live eight to nine years in the wild but have lived up to 21 years in captivity. Habitat of the Otter. Giant otters are found throughout almost all of South America. Be advised that any attempt to poison an otter is considered illegal, and would cause … It is illegal to relocate live otter in North Carolina. 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