Southern River Otter
Encyclopedia
The Southern river otter (Lontra provocax) is a species of otter
that lives in Chile
and Argentina
. Although called a "river otter", it inhabits both marine and freshwater environments.
This medium-sized otter's body can grow up to 2.5 ft (70 cm) long, with a tail adding about 16 in (40 cm). Body weight averages at about 5-10 kg (11-22 lbs). Its skin is dark-brown on the top and has a lighter cinnamon color on its underside. The Southern river otter lives in the central and southern areas of Chile and parts of Argentina. It lives in rocky coasts and other places with few waves. Instead of living in open areas, the otter prefers places with dense vegetation. Although the female and her young will live in family groups, males are usually solitary. Their diet includes fish
, crustaceans, mollusks, and birds. The Southern River Otter is listed as endangered, due to illegal hunting, water pollution, and habitat loss.
Otter
The Otters are twelve species of semi-aquatic mammals which feed on fish and shellfish, and also other invertebrates, amphibians, birds and small mammals....
that lives in Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
and Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
. Although called a "river otter", it inhabits both marine and freshwater environments.
This medium-sized otter's body can grow up to 2.5 ft (70 cm) long, with a tail adding about 16 in (40 cm). Body weight averages at about 5-10 kg (11-22 lbs). Its skin is dark-brown on the top and has a lighter cinnamon color on its underside. The Southern river otter lives in the central and southern areas of Chile and parts of Argentina. It lives in rocky coasts and other places with few waves. Instead of living in open areas, the otter prefers places with dense vegetation. Although the female and her young will live in family groups, males are usually solitary. Their diet includes fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
, crustaceans, mollusks, and birds. The Southern River Otter is listed as endangered, due to illegal hunting, water pollution, and habitat loss.