Nap time for little otters

· by

While on a birding walk the other day, a fellow birder told me that a River Otter family had been romping about and really “putting on a show”! But by the time I approached them, they looked from the distance like a pile of furry brown coats!

Exhausted from their playtime, they’d apparently decided to take a little snooze. So very comfy~! 😴

Many of our local reserves and wetlands are home to River Otter families. They can be found throughout Florida and prefer fresh water rivers, streams, creeks, lakes, and ponds. (FWC). Check out this creative and very informative little piece about River Otters from St. John’s River Water Management District – it even has Activities for kids: Raleigh’s Den

As I watched, the pups started to lift their heads and wake up again. They commenced clambering all over one another and being adorably cuddly~!

But, remember that despite their cute appearance, Otters can sometimes be aggressive. They have very sharp teeth, a powerful bite, and have been known to attack small animals, including pets, and (rarely) people.

Two more amazing Fun Facts about the River Otter 🦦:

  • “It uses its webbed feet and thick tail to propel rapidly (up to 7 miles per hour) through the water, but can move even faster on land – up to 18 mph.
  • River Otters can stay submerged for up to eight minutes, closing their nostrils and ears to keep water out, and reach depths of 60 feet.” (FSU Coastal & Marine Lab)

30 thoughts on “Nap time for little otters”

  1. Thank you for sharing these wonderful photos! My husband considers the river otter to be his “spirit animal”, but we don’t get to see them often. After all, river otters need *rivers* of which the West has few. But it was a delight to see yours!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  5. What a wonderful find BJ, they are so adorable, and remind me of our Australian Sea Lions resting on the beach from their previous night’s fishing. The youngsters are real cuties especially the way they sleep.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  8. On the fourth of May, a Birder’s tale, A frolic of otters, with fur and scale, A River Otter family in splendor did show, Romping and playing, their joy did flow.

    As the birder approached, they spied from afar, A pile of brown coats, like a furry bazaar. Exhausted from playtime, the otters reclined, In sweet slumber’s embrace, their dreams intertwined.

    In wetlands and rivers, these creatures reside, In Florida’s waters, they gracefully glide. Through creeks, lakes, and ponds, they frolic with glee, A spectacle of nature, for all eyes to see.

    Awaking from slumber, the pups did arise, Climbing and cuddling, to no one’s surprise. Adorable antics, a sight to behold, But heed this fair warning, as it shall be told.

    Though cute in appearance, these creatures beware, Sharp teeth and strong bite, for those who dare. Pets and, rarely, people, they’ve been known to attack, Keep a respectful distance, and they’ll not give you flack.

    Two fun facts of otters, let’s now explore, Their speed and their diving, you can’t ignore. Webbed feet and thick tails, they propel through the sea, Seven miles per hour, swift as can be.

    On land, they’re quite speedy, eighteen miles they dash, Their agility and grace, a most awe-inspiring flash. Submerged up to eight minutes, nostrils and ears sealed tight, Sixty feet deep, in the watery night.

    So remember these otters, both charming and spry, Their delightful display, beneath the blue sky. Enjoy from a distance, their amusing game, And spread the word of their splendor, as you exclaim.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in:

Gravatar
WordPress.com Logo

You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. ( Log Out /  Change )

Facebook photo

You are commenting using your Facebook account. ( Log Out /  Change )

Cancel

Connecting to %s