Fish eating

Otters are fish eating semi aquatic mammals. There are thirteen different kinds of species of otter found worldwide. Many otters have widespread distributions but reasonably sparse population they usually live in areas with low temperatures and cold water (Mara, 16). They spent a large amount of time on dry land and gets into water for preying. There primary source of food are aquatic animals mainly fishes and birds and other in rare cases. They could be described as mammals with long bodies and comparatively short limbs. They have sharp claws and muscular tails.

They are blessed with a soft under fur protected with a layer of long hairs which keeps a layer of air in between when they swim in cold water and keeps they dry and warm. They also have special muscles which allow them to keep their ears and nostrils closed when they are underwater. They hold food in their front paws while they eat it. Special muscles allow otters to close their small ears and nostrils to keep water out. They do not mainly rely on their under fur for continued existence in the cold but they also have a very high metabolic rates.

Like for example a Eurasian otter would eat almost up to 15 % of his body weight. Usually fishes are the primary source of food but it is often substituted by frogs crabs, crayfishes and birds. Otters are skilled in opening fish shells. Prey- reliance leaves otters very exposed to prey exhaustion. Otters being mischievous animals are often found rolling down the slopes filled with snow, it sounds as if for absolute enjoyment. Works Cited A Book Wil Mara. Otters. Marshall Cavendish. (Jan, 2006).

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