Otter

__**Appearance**__
Have you seen a River Otter? I haven`t, but I've read about them. They can live 6 years or not. They are mammals of fresh water not salt. They belong to the weasel family. They have a 1m long body that is 8kg. They have long whiskers, long tails, short strong legs and following that is they have small round ears. They have 2 thick fur coats.The under coat keeps them warm and the outer coat keeps them dry. Fat under the skin keeps them warm.

__**Habitat**__
Do you know what River otters use to build their den? I do, dry leaves, moss, or bark. Do you know where they build them? I do, under rocky edges, streams, or near water like lakes and marshes. A River Otter sometimes takes over an old muskrat or beaver den. Like a beaver, there are 2 doors into the den, above and below water. They live everywhere except Australia and Antarctica.

__**Diet**__
River Otters eat a lot! Do you know why? They are carnivores! There is a lot to eat, like muskrats, young beavers, frogs, turtles, insects, birds, water birds, snakes, crabs, and clams. They have to dive under water, because they eat mostly fish. Their favourite food is crayfish. River Otters hunt mostly alone, but sometimes in family groups.

__**Predators**__
A River Otter has many enemies like lynx, cougars, wolves, bears, wolverines, coyotes, and people. Do you know why we are enemies? We hunt them for their beautiful fur that is valuable. They snort and growl when frightened and scream when angry or defending themselves. That is all about River Otter predators.

__**Offspring**__
Did you know that River Otter offspring are called cubs. They have 1 to 4 of them in spring. The mom can give birth once a year. They are the size of a kitten when born. The cubs are coveved in soft fuzzy fur. Like all mammals they drink milk from their mother. They leave home at 7 months. When born they can`t swim for several months. They are born under a rock pile or in a burrow. That is all about the offspring of a River Otter.

__**Adaptations**__
The River Otter actually has a waterproof nose and ears because they can stay under water for 4 minutes to catch prey. Webbed feet helps them to swim faster so that pretty much means they are good swimmers. It also means they can get away from predators and more easily catch prey. A strong tail helps the River Otter to change directjons. They explore the world using their whiskers and to find food underwater. These are the adaptations of River Otters.

__**Cool Facts**__
Hear are some cool facts about River Otters. A River Otter is nocturnal. The River Otter is active all year. It likes to play with things with it`s front paws and spends much time playing. River Otters like to play in the water and slide down river banks. That`s all the cool facts about River Otters.

References @http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/animals/creaturefeature/river-otter/ @http://naturemappingfoundation.org/natmap/facts/river_otter_k6.html @http://www.visitthefarm.com/animalfacts/river_otter.php McDermott, Barb and McKeown, Gail. __All About Canadian Animals: River Otter__. Edmonton: Reid More Books Inc., 1998. Nault, William. __World Book Encylopedia Vol. O__. Toronto: World Book Inc., 1996.