Giant otters are members of the weasel family. They have a body length between 1 and 1.4 m (3.25 - 4.5 ft), a tail length between 45 and 65 cms (18 - 26 inches) and they weigh between 22 and 32 Kgs (49 - 71 lbs). Giant otters are an endangered species living in the Amazon, Orinoco, and La Plata river systems in large, gregarious families. With Charlie Hamilton-James. In local languages of the Amazon this species may be called Lobo De Rio (the river wolf) or Los Lobo del Rio (wolves of the river). Giant otters, endangered top predators which live in Amazon river ecosystems, were nearly wiped out because of demand for their fur.
The giant river otter. Each family group produces one litter per year, occasionally two. Giant otters are endemic (live only there and nowhere else) for the South America, and they can be found in the Orinoco, Amazon and La Plata River systems. The giant otter is one Amazonian species reportedly under threat of endangerment because of industry. The giant river otter (Pteronura brasiliensis) is one the Amazon forest’s top predators, along with the jaguar, puma, caiman and anaconda. The giant otter is clearly distinguished from other otters by morphological and behavioural characteristics. Main Characteristics Giant Otters are the largest mustelid and they are similar to a very large river otter. They live in families consisting of two monogamous parents and often two or three offspring. Giant otters wake up during the day making them diurnal.
Compared to its fellow summits in the Alps, the Oetscher is not very high: in fact less than 2, 000 meters. The Amazon, a place with pink dolphins otters that can easily grow to over five feet long. It is the largest member of the weasel family (Mustelidae), and can grow up to 1.80 meters (six feet) in length and weigh more than 30 kilograms (70 pounds). They prefer slow-moving rivers, lakes, swamps and flooded forests during the rainy season. Giant otters produce 9 different vocalizations and are very loud.
Giant otters in the wild can eat caiman, piranhas, and anacondas. These otters are able to swim 330 feet (100 meters) in less than 30 seconds. To the public’s outrage, the Ecuadorian government allowed oil exploration in the Yasuni, which is one of the world’s most ecologically diverse places. Directed by Adam Woodward. But among the gentle slopes of western Lower Austria it really is a giant, with shoulders broad enough to bear the last of the Alps' virgin forests, the country's coldest plateau where temperatures fall to -50, the oldest trees in all of Austria and her very own Grand Canyon, the Tormauer. Following the banning of fur trade, giant otter numbers have recovered across South America. Giant otters are unusually sociable for mustelids.
Family Life. Giant otter belongs to a family of carnivorous mammals called mustelid. “We believe that that Northern Bolivia is an interesting habitat for the giant otter population because it is so isolated from humans. They have thick fur that caused them to be hunted to near extinction.
I decided some day I …
Most young are born during the dry season, though giant otters can mate any time of year. More otters were discovered in areas outside of the Bolivian jungle town Riberalta; most specifically in the Aquicuana Reserve.
In the jungles of Peru, the world's biggest otters must fight caiman to save their cubs. The gestation period lasts roughly 64 to 77 days, after which the female gives birth in an underground den. This species is the largest member of the otter family. The giant otters of the Amazon have been hunted for their fur, almost to the point of extinction. Males are between 1.5 and 1.7 m (4.9 and 5.6 ft) in length from head to tail and females between 1 and 1.5 m (3.3 and 4.9 ft). Behavior and conservation of the Amazon’s giant river otter. Giant Otter This South American otter is the world's largest, at some 6 feet long. Quick facts. She does this with many excellent photographs, from several photographers, and a lively and accessible text. Oil development in the Amazon continues to rise. It has the greatest body length of any species in the mustelid family, although the sea otter may be heavier. We have otters here in Maine where I live, but as a kid I saw a National Geographic special about the giant otters of the Amazon and I have been captivated ever since.
Photo by: Frank Hajek.
However, there are several emerging threats to this sensitive species.
Giant Otters. These animals are most active from 10-11 am and from 3-5 pm. They take a nap at mid-day during really warm weather. It lives only in the rivers and creeks of the Amazon, Orinoco, and La Plata river systems. In an excellent review of the behaviour of these beautiful creatures, Jessica Groenendijk records the animals and their complex habitat. Among the cutest animals in the Amazon Rainforest, giant otters can grow up to 1.7 metres long and can be found in the waterways that run through the jungle.
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