Its thick, velvety brown fur has characteristic white markings around the neck. Giant otter facts, pictures, video and in-depth information. The largest otter is the giant otter. These animals are known to go head-to-head with some of the world's most powerful animals, - such as Jaguars, crocodiles and anacondas. And you definitely don’t want to mess with giant otters, just check out this clip below! Adults can reach up to 6 feet in length and can weigh up to 76 lb. Though it is the largest, it isn’t the heaviest. Giant River Otter. It is the longest member of the Mustelidae, or weasel family, a globally successful group of predators, reaching up to 1.7m (5.6 ft). Pretty cool, pretty terrifying. 10 facts about the giant river otter: The giant river otter is giant, measuring in at 1.5-1.8 m and weighing in at 22-32 kg! It lives in the rivers and swamps of tropical South America, forming … Giant Otter Facts - Animals of South America. Sea otters can reach 9kph underwater, North American river otters are faster at 11kph, and the maximum speed of the giant river otter is an impressive 14kph. 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). With World Otter Day having just passed, we wanted to delve into the lives of these otterly fascinating creatures with a quick-fire fact-file! Amazon basin including: Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Venezuela, Peru. It is a member of the Mustelid family that also includes weasels, skunks, and ferrets, all of which have strong scent glands. Giant otters are 5.6 feet. The giant otter is the South American cousin to the sea and river otters of North America, as well as those of Europe and Africa. Giant otter: Physical characteristics. The Giant Otter (Pteronura brasiliensis) is a large South American mustelid featured in the Aquatic Pack DLC for Planet Zoo. Giant River Otter At more than twice the length of the North American river otter, the giant river otter (Pteronura brasiliensis) is quite a sight.A skilled hunter and apex predator, the giant river otter is also very much a family-oriented creature, living in large and often noisy groups along the river banks of the Amazon and its tributaries. Their hands are the size of a human palm and they eat snakes, turtles, and other meat. Many people find this particular Otter to be different in size and shape from others. The giant otter of South America can grow up to 5.6 feet from snout to toe. During the dry season, the otter groups are restricted to small areas of water, but when the rains come to flood the forest, the otters can roam over larger areas. The giant otters are carnivorous amphibian mammals, that belong to the Pteronura genus.In fact are the only otters of this genus, and are the longest member of the mustelid family to which also belong the water wolves.. Giant otters do not store their food and, when they make a kill, they will find a peaceful place, or picnic spot, to eat it. The giant river otter is the longest member of the Mustelidae or weasel family. It lives in the rivers and swamps of tropical South America, forming … The giant otter is diurnal.It is the noisiest type of otter. 4. Other causes of death include accidents, gastroenteritis, infanticide, and epileptic seizures. The giant otter is the largest of the otter species and is found in the lakes, rivers, creeks and swamps of South America. They catch prey in their mouths and hold it in their forepaws to eat it on the shore. Giant river otters are very sociable and live in families of between 3 – 10 individuals that hunt together. Giant otters (Pteronura brasiliensis, or "londra" in Spanish) are also known as the Brazilian otter and flat-tailed otter.Males can reach lengths of 1.8 meters (about 71 inches, or 5.9 feet) from their noses to the tip of their tails and can weigh between 20 and 30 kilograms (44 and 66 pounds). Giant Otters are social creatures who learn from each other and live in tight-knit extended families. The giant otter is the largest type of otter in the world. Pteronura brasiliensis. The giant otter's fur is dense, thick and velvety and brown in color. This distinction goes to the sea otter. This is the most recognizable […] Animal Facts Scientific Name. The Giant Otter reserve is home to Alexandra and Orimar, a male and female couple who arrived at Yorkshire Wildlife Park on the 30th September 2015 and 16th October 2019. The giant otter is the longest species among mustelids although not the heaviest. Giant Otters might look like any other species of Otter. It can grow up to 8ft (2.4m) long from nose to tail. The giant otter is a member of the Mustelidae family. Facts about Sea Otter, Giant Otter, European Otter, African Otter and River Otter. It grows from 4.9 to 5.9 feet (1.5 to 1.8 meters) long. This is an especially pertinent day for Yorkshire Wildlife Park Foundation because of the Giant Otters ( Pteronura brasiliensis ) we support, who are currently marked as Endangered on the worldwide conservation status list. The giant otter (Pteronura brasiliensis) is a South American carnivorous mammal. Atypical of mustelids, the giant otter is a social species, with family groups typically supporting three to eight members. For that reason they are often mistaken for another type of animal. Giant Otter – Pteronura brasiliensis Description. Males are larger than females. The giant otter can grow to more than 6 feet (2 meters) long and 70 pounds (32 kg), nearly twice as large as its American counterparts. Population in the Wild: 5.000 The giant otter is a large semi-aquatic mammal that lives in the Amazon River basin and in the Pantanal wetlands in South America. The Giant Otter features a very long body, similar to that of a weasel. They are often mistaken for beavers though. Range. Habitat loss and over-hunting have caused it to become endangered, and it is now found in only one-fifth of its original range.Let’s find out more about the giant otter … The giant otter is the largest of all the otter species. They are often referred to as the river wolf and are the largest otters in the world. Nov 15, 2017 - The Giant Otter is a species of large-size endangered otters from South America. Giant Otters are fascinating animals. The Giant Otter reserve was officially opened by gold medalist Rebbecca Adlington on the 22nd March 2016. Introduction to Otters. Pteronura brasiliensis was listed as an endangered species in 1999. It is a social animal that lives in a group of up to eight members, with the group centered on a dominant breeding pair. Stable Threatened Endangered. Otter species range in size from the smallest Oriental small-clawed otter at 0.6 m (2 ft) and 1 kg (2.2 lb). Through to the large Giant otter and Sea otters who can reach 1.8 m (5.9 ft) and 45 kg (99.2 lb). Giant otters can live up to 10 years in the wild and up to 19 in captivity. They’re semi-aquatic mammals, which … Adults can reach up to 6 feet in length and can weigh up to 76 lb. Otters are generally considered to be small and fluffy animals, but there are 11 other species of otter. These South American otters ( Pteronura Brasiliensis) are the biggest in the world, reaching about 1.8 meters long. In Peru, the giant river otter is classified as Endangered by the decree, DS 004-2014-MINAGRI. Otters are adorable creatures that live both on land and in the water. Males are larger than females. By John Misachi on March 16 2018 in Environment. The giant otter is the largest of all the otter species. The giant otter is the largest of the otter species and is found in the lakes, rivers, creeks and swamps of South America. In the 1970s the giant otter was nearly brought to extinction due to hunting for its highly prized fur. Giant otters are territorial and mark off their land with latrines or ditches. It can grow up to 2.4m (8ft) long from nose to tail. Parasites, such as the larvae of flies and a variety of intestinal worms, also endanger the giant otter. Giant otters are diurnal - only active during the day. Giant otters are very vocal and will make loud barks to warn the raft of otters about incoming predators or other threats. Four of the main otter species include the European otter, the North American river otter, the Sea otter, and the Giant otter. Threats. Distribution. On the one hand, adult males are between 5 and 6 feet long and weigh between 70 and 99 pounds and on the other, females measure between 5 and 5 1/2 feet in length and weigh between 48 and 58 pounds. The giant otter's fur is dense, thick and velvety and brown in color. Hunting for its pelt continues to this day but in a less significant scale. At more than 50 pounds and five feet long each, giant river otters are the largest freshwater otters in the world. This carnivorous mammal inhabits the rainforests of South America. They live mainly on land that is very close to bodies of water. The giant otter or giant river otter (Pteronura brasiliensis) is a type of otter.It is the longest type of mustelid.It can grow up to 1.7 metres (5.6 ft). Unfortunately, due to habitat destruction from logging, farming, and mining, the Giant Otter is near extinction, with a wild population is fewer than 5,000. At around 6 feet in length, this animal is the world’s largest species of otters. 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