However, there are several emerging threats to this sensitive species. Fish and Wildlife Service, sea otters have been protected under the Endangered Species Act since 1977. This Site Might Help You. There are multiple factors, including habitat degradation.) According to the U.S. SAVING THE SEA OTTER. Diet consists mainly of fish, crabs and even caimans and snakes. Following the banning of fur trade, giant otter populations have recovered across South America. A giant otter eats two to four kilograms of food per day. Giant otters are very social animals and groups of up to 20 individuals have been found in forms of "family groups." 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). Sea otters had have been listed as endangered for a long time. Giant Otter (Has lost as much as 80% of its range. Being diurnal and living in social groups Giant Otters are vulnerable to man's destruction. Sea otters have low genetic diversity, which could endanger their health as a species, a UCLA-led team of life scientists has discovered. On March 28, 2015, our giant river otter family welcomed three new pups. With resplendent, thick fur, otters were voraciously hunted until not a single one could be seen along the California coast. An average giant otter will weigh between 22 and 32kg (49-71lbs). Why are sea otters endangered The sea otter is a marine mammal which lives on the coasts of the northern Pacific Ocean. The giant river otter (Pteronura brasiliensis) is the largest member of the mustelid family, which includes otters, weasels, and ferrets, and are by far the loudest member of the group.Giant river otters are very sociable and live in families of between 3-10 individuals that hunt together. Studying Giant Otter Demography. Preferring slow-moving tropical rivers, the giant river otter is affected by habitat loss, illegal hunting and gold mining that has caused mercury poisoning. The giant otter, an endangered apex predator in Amazon river ecosystems, was nearly driven to extinction because of demand for its fur. CONSERVATION STATUS: Endangered WHERE YOU CAN SEE THEM: There is just one Hairy Nosed Otter in captivity– a rescued male at the Wildlife … Each individual in the groups has a role, and there is one main breeding pair. Giant otters are often hunted for their fur, which is valuable in places such as Russia because it is very warm, even when wet. Giant otters can consume up to 10 lb of food a day. Their long tail may add as much as 70cm (28in) to this body length. Hello all; this is my first question, so be nice! Fish makes up the majority of their diet. They live in freshwater rivers and streams which are usually affected by seasonal flooding. To make matters worse, it has gone extinct in some areas, so populations are no longer connected.) Giant otters can consume up to 10 lb of food a day. The Giant River Otter (Pteronura brasiliensis), often referred to as the river wolf, is a species in the Mustelid (weasel) family that is endemic to South America.It is both the world’s largest otter and largest member of the mustelid family, reaching up to 6 feet (1.8 meters) in length. RE: Why are River Otters endangered? Appearance. If the otter is caught at a young age, it is easy to tame and teach to fish and bring it to the owner. Current estimates place the population between 1,000 and 5,000, placing it among the endangered otter species. I'm meant to be doing a piece of Coursework on any Biological Issue (a problem) so i decided to do Conservation. In addition, otters were caught, because they considered them competitors in fishing and shellfish production. The two males and one female join their juvenile siblings born in September 2014. CURRENT THREATS: Habitat loss and the illegal wildlife trade (both for skins and for pets). Native to South America, giant river otters are mostly found in the Amazon basin. As its name suggests the giant otter is the largest of the otter species and can be found in … Conservation Status: IUCN Red List - Endangered Threats to Survival: Contamination; overfishing and conflict with fishermen; infrastructure such as roads and hydroelectric dams. Ka’apor Capuchin Monkey (Critically endangered Sea otters are a highly endangered marine mammal. They are at great risk of extinction due to many reasons such as fur trade, shark attacks, habitat degradation, oil spills ,fishing nets, disease and being viewed as competition. They also have a reduced population size, which puts them in danger of becoming extinct. Giant river otters are listed as endangered under the red list of threatened species, published by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Giant otters are very social animals and groups of up to 20 individuals have been found in forms of "family groups." Fish are supplemented by crustaceans, snakes, and other river creatures. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/.../mammals/group/otters Giant otters are also known as river wolves. Description. Giant otters are large aquatic carnivores that inhabit rivers and seasonal lakes in South America. Females are smaller at 1-1.5m (3.3-4.9ft). November 27, 2017 admintag People chased sea otters because of fur and skin. Giant Otter Project. They hunt either alone or in groups. Sea otters are listed as an endangered species because they are vulnerable to oil spills from ships and coastal tanker traffic. The southern sea otter was believed to be extinct, and otters in Alaskan waters were similarly imperiled. The Giant Otter lives in South America as well. The giant otter is clearly distinguished from other otters by morphological and behavioral characteristics. Largely as a result of hunting the Giant Otter is now classed as seriously endangered in Colombia, Brazil, Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru, Paraguay and Venezuela. It has the greatest body length of any species in the mustelid family, although the sea otter may be heavier. Unfortunately it is already extinct in Uruguay and Argentina. Each individual in the groups has a role, and there is one main breeding pair. I'd imagine the Galapagos Rice Rat is endangered because they only live in the Galapagos. Their primary form of insulation is their thick coat of fur, which is the densest fur known in the animal kingdom. Decreased by at least 30% in the last 10 years. To prevent the fish bones from irritating their mouth and digestive tract, they have a very thick saliva to … They have sharp teeth and strong jaws to help them catch fast moving fish and eat them whole, chewing up bones, scales, spines and all. The Giant River Otter only lives in three river systems: the Amazon, Orinoco and La Plata. Giant Otters' primary diet is fish. The giant otter is the longest of the otter species but shares a similar weight with the sea otter.Male giant otters can attain a length of 1.5-1.7m (4.9-5.6ft). Why are sea otters endangered ? Diet consists mainly of fish, crabs and even caimans and snakes. Giant Anteater (Vulnerable. I wrote about the long tailed otter a few weeks ago but that is not the only endangered otter living in South America! Endangered Species Spotlight: Hairy Nosed Otter SPECIES: Hairy Nosed Otter (Lutra sumatrana) CURRENT RANGE: Small isolated populations in southeast Asia. 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