What is your favorite species of otter?

This is just a simple question of what your favorite species of otter is that’s all.

 

My favorite otter species it either the sea otter (Enhydra lutris) or the giant otter (Pteronura brasiliensis) but I honestly can't decide between the two.

 

Without a doubt the giant otter, fascinating creatures!

 

Giant otters. Spotted-necked otters are a second.

 

Unpopular opnion here, but smal-clawed otters. They are just so cute and palyfull. Iam allwys happy seeing them doing their mischievous plots. The fact besides the giant otter (they are not nearly as cutte al all other otters) are the only turly social otters makes it even better.

 

Don't curse us. I'm begging you.

 

Thank you for reminding me this picture exists, I'm dying.

 

My personal favourite species is the North American river otter. One of two species my local zoo has (the other being spotted-necked otter), it's always interesting to see them swim actively and playfully.

Giant otters and sea otters are a close second and third respectively.

 

That would explain the coughing fit.

 

I can't argue that they are not cute, they most definitely are. But I'm quite frankly sick of seeing them in zoos in Europe and elsewhere.

Over here in Brazil thankfully the most commonly kept are giants and neotropical river otters and the keeping of short claws hasn't caught on (fingers crossed it never will).

To be honest I was even kind of seriously disappointed / disillusioned when I found out that Jersey zoo are keeping short clawed otters (and had same feeling × 10 upon learning that they also have meerkats).

 

Why does such a popular animal look so sad about it?

 

They look melancholy in both life and their taxidermied afterlife

 

Aw, I think they look pissed off and disgusted in life, but that one just looks like, well, it's reacting to being shot and taxidermied poorly. Love me some giant otters, let's put that down as my favorite.

 

I agree, I've worked with them and seen them pissed off at close quarters and it can definitely be pretty intimidating (not to mention ear splittingly noisy).

Here in Brazil in the Pantanal even jaguars keep their distance from giants.

 

How widespread are giant otters in captivity in Brazil? Can they be seen reliably any place in the wild?

 

Certainly not widespread in captivity in Brazil and in fact the captive population is in decline (And in need of a decent and well organized breeding programe).

I wouldn't say you can see them reliably in the wild anywhere but your best chances of seeing them would have to be in the Pantanal and to a lesser extent in the Amazon if you get lucky.

The Neotropical otter is relatively easier to see and is found in all major ecosystems except the Caatinga / dry forests in the North of the country but even this species is in decline across Brazil.

 

Having seen Giant Otters easily in Manu, Peru, I believe they are all but guaranteed on visits to the oxbow lakes, which also have Hoatzin, Sungrebe, Donacobius, etc etc