The only types of ecosystems in which otters cannot be found are deserts, mountains, and polar regions. These have hidden, underwater entrances for protection from predators, which makes them attractive to otters. Their return to the Twin Cities is a success story for the Mississippi River, showing positive change in water quality and trapping regulations. Habitat of the Otter. So otters live in two different worlds, no actually three: the dry one we are familiar with, the under water world and the under ice world. Otters live in a wide variety of watery locations, from the mighty Amazon to the heart of Singapore. It is much easier to list the habitats that river otters don’t live in than to list the areas they do. North American river otters were hunted and trapped extensively for their fur in the 19th and 20th centuries, and are still hunted in some places. Where do sea otters live in the world? The length of an otter’s dives depends on the individual species. Marine otters live along the Pacific coast of South America, ranging from northern Peru to Tierra del Fuego. River otters generally live alone or in small social groups. Be advised that any attempt to poison an otter is considered illegal, and would cause … The river otter is protected and insulated by a thick, water-repellent coat of fur. The northern sea otter tends to haul out more than others. Otters can be trapped during the regulated trapping season, or with a depredation permit outside of the trapping season, if damage has occurred. Although otters do not build them, they will sometimes use abandoned dams. The North American river otter (Lontra canadensis), also known as the northern river otter or common otter, is a semiaquatic mammal endemic to the North American continent found in and along its waterways and coasts. Their aquatic habitats can be both marine and fresh … Africa Photo by Bob Winfree, National Park Service. Where do sea otters live map? Otter Dens. A sea otter snoozes on its back -- showing its hind legs, tail and webbed feet, which make otters great swimmers. Most sea otters call Alaska home. River otter trapping regulations 3. They live in riparian zones, often in the same areas as beavers. They have, as the name suggests, small nails on their paws that are shorter than the length of the digits. River otters were nearly extirpated from Minnesota by the early twentieth century from pollution, habitat loss and trapping. They are found in wetlands and along lake and river banks throughout the south of Asia, but their numbers are dwindling as habitat is lost. Approximately 90 percent of the world’s sea otters live in coastal Alaska. As predators that are near the top of the food chain, otters are hugely important for keeping their environments balanced. Giant otters are found throughout almost all of South America. It is illegal to relocate live otter in North Carolina. Conservation. Please do not trap live otters and then drown them, as it is considered illegal in many states and is a painful way for any animal to die, which can last anywhere up to eight minutes. There are three subspecies of sea otters: southern, northern and Russian sea otters. Small-clawed otters live in family groups of 6 to 12 individuals. Any burrow or den taken over by these animals is called a holt. An adult North American river otter can weigh between 5.0 and 14 kg (11.0 and 30.9 lb). Neotropical otters range from Uruguay north to Central America and Mexico. But the sea otter’s habitat is unique, as they only live in shallow coastal waters in the North Pacific ocean. In the latter two they get most of their food. The north American range of sea otters extends from the Aleutian Islands to Prince William Sound. Southern river otters are found in Argentina and Chile. 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