Lazy Afternoon with GIANT OTTER
Pteronura brasiliensis
Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens
Los Angeles, California
©Laura Quick
I stopped by the otter midday and they were all sleeping, when I stopped by on my way back through the zoo they were still crashed out. Initially I was disappointed, but they are so active you almost never see them in repose. And I like the images of them sleeping.
The head-body-tail length of an adult giant otter can be over six feet. Adult males weigh up to 70 pounds, females are a little smaller. They have many adaptations for life in the water. The toes are fully webbed. Their long, torpedo shaped bodies move through the water with minimal resistance. A powerful laterally flattened tail provides swimming power. There are numerous vibrissae (sensory whiskers) on the muzzle and head to help find prey in murky water. The fur is very dense and water repellent. The giant otter is one of the few species of carnivore whose nose is completely covered with fur.
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