By counting the rings on the fish’s scales and ear bones, scientists can learn the age of fish that the otters eat. Why look at their poo? River Otter Quick facts. Lontra canadensis. • River otter feces, commonly referred to as spraint by otter researchers, is enormously important in otter communication. (Credit: Karen McDonald) Right: River otter anal jelly is also found in latrines. They hunt either alone or in pairs. ... Spraint Sites. 'No otter in its right mind would ever live here,' one local naturalist wrote, a man who knew his stuff. River otters are underwater acrobats that are known for their social and playful behavior and have been observed sliding down slippery slopes for fun. This sample appears to be somewhere in between. If spraint density is completely unrelated to otter numbers, then no relationship between spraint density and proportion of positive sites would be expected. When otters leave the sea, they will often swim through a fresh water pool, burn or river. You see, they contain lots of DNA picked up as it moves through the animal. Otter fur is a rich, dark brown and is lighter on the … (2020, August 19). Note: The report on ratter Phil Bastey added an extra digit in his phone number. River otters engage in activities collectively designated as play, for example, repeated touching, shoving, tossing, and manipulating of prey, stones or other objects, or tobogganing down mud or snow slides. Otters spend a lot of time exploring the spraint of others. River Otters can be either diurnal or nocturnal, though most species are more active at night. To dissolve the matrix and leave the cleaned bones, I used denture cleaning tablets. This also includes the ear bones of the fish that the otters eat. Baby otters, called kits, are usually born in these dens in the spring and remain there for several months. River otters are territorial and will mark their territory with feces (or spraint) as a warning to others. They mark their territory by urinating, defecating, scratching, and rubbing their scent glands on rocks and trees. It turns out that a lot of river otter poop has parasites, ranging from different types of round worms, flat worms and single-celled parasites. I guess this comes under tracking, I found these droppings a couple of days ago on a rock in our river and I am kind of hoping they might be otter. A single otter poop is called a "spraint" like a "spraint" ankle. River Otter Spraint. North American river otters tend to have spraint sites at vantage points, such as under bridges, on prominent rocks at the seashore, and near trees. or 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. So many things, it’s like reading a really gross open book! After two months, the pups learn to swim. River otters live alone or in pairs. Reproduction: River otters mate in late winter or early spring, usually March or April, shortly after the female bears her annual litter. River otters are nocturnal hunters. a poo or fish remains) and sit in a suitable location and wait, patiently! Otter Spraint! Vote Now! The female is responsible for rearing the pups. Spotted passing over high spot one of a pair. River otters also have flattened, muscular tails, which make up approximately 40% of the otter’s total body length. River otters make dens along the water in empty holes or abandoned burrows. Where Do River Otters Sleep at Night? Traditionally this was done by examining spraint … They have scent glands at the base of their tail, and they deposit their musky scent on their dung, which is called spraint. Give a Gift. 1; Bluett et al. One way that otters can counteract this is by having higher metabolic rates than land mammals of a similar size. Delight as otters flourish in county 1993: A guide to the identification of prey remains in otter spraint . They eat mostly aquatic organisms such as frogs, fish, turtles, insects, and some small mammals. The pups are born blind and spend the first month of their lives in their dens with the female. The female will then spend all her time hunting to increase her body fat. Due to their webbed feet and muscular tails, it comes as no surprise that river otters are excellent swimmers. We carried out six spraint sampling sessions from October 2004 to April 2006, three per season (dry and rainy). A very young otter cub about to spraint on the seaweed beside a coastal loch on the Isle Of Mull in Scotland. Anal jelly has more intact DNA than the food that the otters have partially digested. River otter were listed as endangered by the state of Illinois in 1989, with relict populations occurring in northwestern Illinois and extreme southern Illinois (Anderson 1995).The state recovery team, formed in 1993, developed a reintroduction program (Bluett et al. As seen in the photos, this is what otter poo looks like. Download this Otter Spraint On River Bank photo now. They are most active at night, so have the best chance of seeing them at dawn and dusk. Spraints or droppings on a board walk. So, what can scientists learn from collecting and studying river otters’ poop? The higher metabolic rate means that the river otters must take in more calories, which is why they are regularly eating. Tracks are usually at least 2cm wide (wider than your thumbprint). But for some animals, pooping is a social event. spraint! Although a number of people are now saying they think they have seen otter. This playful behavior is not only social but teaches otters several survival skills. Ewwww! Single spraint and rolling on dry sand in scat station was observed in a bank angle of 100- 450. Early December 2017. The pups are blind and helpless when born. Otters spraint upto 20 times per day (Andrew Crawford pers. Otter spraint on rock. Once vanished from Colorado, the species now thrives and has even begun to spread on its own. These are their social hubs, like going to the drive-in or mall. Bears, for instance, will breed in the late spring or early summer. Don’t be too grossed out—these jelly-filled blobs can be useful. Jessica has been lucky enough to observe otters at a river by her home in Dorset, using camera traps to record their behaviour. Otters mate in the early spring months, but embryos remain dormant and free-floating in the uterus for another eight to nine months before they attach to the uterus and begin to develop. Retrieved from https://biologydictionary.net/river-otter/. Spraint composition is unique to each otter, and the creatures can identify each other by the smells. The Otter Population / Spraint markings are being carefully recorded. Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, River Otters Take Party Pooping To A New Level, The Secret Lives of River Otters (And Their Parasites), Meet Joseph Rainey, the First Black Congressman, The State of American Craft Has Never Been Stronger. Scientific name: Lutra canadensis ; Weight: 11-30 lbs. North American river otters tend to live alone or in pairs. They are found throughout most of North America – from the Rio Grande in Northern Mexico to Canada and Alaska. Otters are territorial and they use their spraints to communicate with each other. River Brit, Dorset, UK April 2012. The dens have entrances underwater so that they can be reached from the water. Habitat: Otters can be found beside rivers, streams and lakes, mostly in north and west England and Wales. Heading for the weir. By looking at the stuff in the poop like fish scales, animal bones, feathers and insect parts, scientists can learn about what’s on an otter’s menu. A river otter’s metabolic rate is approximately 50% higher than a similarly sized land mammal’s. Fresh spraint is often blackish in color. In each spraint sampling, we traveled the chosen river stretch by boat, going up the river along one margin and down the river on the other, collecting all the spraints found. Biologydictionary.net Editors. biological strategy is found in several animals, The average lifespan is 12 years; the oldest river otter recorded was 27, Fish, invertebrates, amphibians, small mammals. I live here!” Spraints carry chemical signals The pups are quick to learn, though, and are happily swimming in no time. In this post I want to introduce you to ten facts about river otters and their poop, because poop plays a central role in a river otter's social life, and their social life centers around pooing. 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