Animal You | Giant Otter | The giant otter has a handful of other names. Giant Otter" translates as giant otters and giant otters in Spanish and Portuguese, respectively, quarter or Ariranha ariraí name is also in use in South America. The giant otter is significantly different from other otters by morphological and behavioral characteristics. It is the maximum length of the body of all species of the family Mustelidae, otters, although heavier. The animal muscular tail can add another 70 cm (28 inches) of the total body length. Early reports skins and live animals exceptionally large males give to 2.4 m (7.9 ft); intensive hunting likely reduced the occurrence of such massive specimens. (57-71 pounds) and 22 kg for males and 26 pounds (49 and 57) for women The giant otter is the shortest of all kinds Otter skins is usually chocolate brown or reddish brown, but looks almost black when wet skin is very tight, so that no water can penetrate. Giant Otters use these marks to recognize each other and meet up with other otters, they resort to behavior as "periscoping" the neck and upper chest to the other famous shows.
Giant Otter snouts are short and inclined to give head and a ball. Whiskers are very sensitive to the giant otter (vibrissae) the animal to enable changes in the water pressure and flow, which track the tracking prey helps. Very suitable for life in the water, close your ears and nose under water. In other otter species, the vision is usually normal or slightly myopic, both on land and in water. The giant otter has acute hearing and an excellent sense of smell. The giant otter is an animal, in particular with a complex repertoire of loud sounds. All otters produce sounds, but by the speed and volume, the giant otter is the hardest. Growls and coos are reassuring in the group. Newborn puppies screaming for attention, while older teens moaning as they begin to participate in the group. The giant otter is a very social animal and lives in extended families. Grandes figures may reflect two or three families temporarily feeding together) groups are strongly cohesive: the otters sleep, travel, play and eat together. Members of the group to share roles structured by the dominant breeding pair. The species is territorial groups to identify their coverage of latrines, gland secretions and sounds.
Aggression within a species ("intraspecific" conflict) are documented. Defense seems to be cooperative intruders Animals: While adult men in general lead aggressive encounters, cases of alpha females guarding groups. Although it is not the big predators rarely reign intraspecific aggression is rare among species of otter, and suggest Ribas Mourão a correlation with the animal sociality, which is also rare otters among others. A capacity for aggressive behavior should not exaggerate with the giant otter. The researchers emphasize that generally assumed between groups, conflict prevention. Within the groups, the animals are very quiet and cooperative. Group hierarchies are not rigid and easy sharing of roles animals. Build giant otters caves, holes dug in banks, usually with multiple input multiple cameras inside. They give birth in caves during the dry season. In Cantao State Park, Otter reproductive dig their burrows on the banks of the lakes that begin around July, when the water is already quite low. This makes it easier for adults enough fish for the growing young and begin to learn to fish. The whole group, including non-reproductive adults, older siblings of the puppies this year, together, enough to catch fish for young people.
The details of the giant otter reproduction and life cycle are scarce, and captive animals have much of the information provided. Women seem light years running, but in nature, births during the dry season may be peaking. Mothers give birth to her puppies and blind in an underground cave near the river, and fishing. The animal is sexually mature two years and two young men and women from the group permanently after two or three years. The giant otter is very sensitive to human activities in the education of their young. The longest documented giant otters in the wild is eight years. Parasites, such as the larvae of flies and various worms, also affect the giant otter. The giant otter is a predator, and the population status reflects the overall health of river ecosystems. A whole year of study giant otters found droppings in the Brazilian Amazon fish in all stools. Remnants of medium sized fish species that were relatively shallow water is preferred, probably for the giant otter are visual orientation benefit. Prey species were sedentary, mostly swim short distances, the giant otter predation can help. The giant otter seems to be opportunistic, some local species.
The species can hunt alone, in pairs and in groups based on vision to find prey. In some cases, even cooperative hunting accidental, the result of the members of the group individually Fishing nearby coordinated hunting really can only occur if the dam can not be performed by a giant otters example, anacondas and the black caiman. The giant otter seems prey fish that generally immobile prefer clear water in riverbeds. Giant Otters catch their food and consume immediately, but the catch of the fish firmly between his legs and start smack in the head. Other aquatic habitats are freshwater springs and permanent freshwater lakes. Duplaix identified two critical factors in the choice of habitat: food supply, which appears positively correlated with shallow water and a low slope with good coverage and easy access to your favorite water types. The giant otter seems clear and black water with rocky or sandy, loamy select saltier and whitewater. Giant Otters to remove large amounts of vegetation in the construction of their camps.
In flooded areas, otters leave campsites during the wet season, the flooded forest disperse in search of prey perennials can be assumed, often on a hill. Dry season range of particle size analysis three groups of otters were found in Ecuador varies from 0.45 to 2.79 square miles (0.17 and 1.08 square miles). Other researchers suggest that approximately 7 square miles observed (2.7 square miles) and a strong negative correlation between sociality and habitat size, has a very small social giant otter home range than expected for its kind crowd. Adult giant otters have no serious natural enemies, except man. Not conflict with the species in Suriname When in the water, facing the giant otter endangered animals is to use not necessary: the electric eels and rays are potentially deadly if stumbled and piranhas are able to at least one bite of giant otters take , as evidenced by the scars on individuals. Although no direct predation, the giant otter or other predators competing for food sources. Duplaix documented interaction with the otters. The otter is active during dusk and darkness, that the possibility of a conflict with the giant otter day decreases. His little booty holes different habits, and preferred types of water also reduce interaction.
Other species similar food sources are the alligators and large fish are piscivorous itself. Gymnotids, like the electric eel, catfish and large catfish waters are competitors. Two river dolphins, the Boto tucuxi potentially compete with the giant otter, but the use of different spatial and diet suggest minimal overlap While the range, the giant otter interacts with indigenous groups who practice often traditional hunting and fishing. A study of five indigenous communities in Colombia suggests that attitudes towards the indigenous animals are a danger: otters are often seen as a burden that interferes with fish, and sometimes die. School, however, had a positive impression of the animal. In Suriname, the giant otter is a traditional human prey for hunters who offers some protection. (One researcher, the giant otter is hunted only in despair because of their terrible taste.) Animal sometimes drowning in nets were rivers and machete attacks by fishermen observed by Duplaix, but "tolerance is the rule" in Suriname. Logging, hunting and cub seizure led to the groups, more careful of human activity. It plays an important role in the mythology of the Achuar people, where otters are seen as a way to Tsunki or water spirits: they are a kind of "water people" who eat fish. The Bororo have a legend about the origin of snuff use: people with a leaf were not punished by swallowing transformed into giant otter, the Bororo also associate giant otter with fish and with fire. Legend has it that the giant otter Ticuna exchanged places jaguar jaguar story says that once in the water, and the giant otter life came to earth, just to eat. Kichwa indigenous people of the Amazon in Peru believed in a world of water where Yaku runa reigned as mother water and was entrusted with the care of fish and animals. Giant Otter served as Yaku Rune canoes.
Find Animal You