Do Otters Build Dams like Beavers?

An otter is a sleek, glossy, dense furry aquatic mammal with short legs, webbed feet, and a muscular tail and looks very similar to a beaver and a muskrat; but are they the same? Do otters build dams like beavers?

What’s the Difference Between Otters, Muskrats, and Beavers?

The otter, the muskrat, and the beaver look very similar to each other, and if you are by a pond or a river, you might mistake one for the other. If you can get close enough, there are definite differences between these three similar mammals.

The Otter

The otter’s body is a sleek, streamlined, athletic build designed for swimming and moving quickly. The body shape is the easiest way to tell them apart from the other two mammals. They are entirely fur-covered with a brown, dense, shiny coat covering them to the tip of their muscular tail.

Speaking of tails, their tail is long and fur-covered, very different than the beaver and muskrat. The river otter varies in size, ranging from 38 to 44 inches in length, and will weigh 30 pounds, but can be as little as 10 pounds depending on their region. You can also tell which animal lives there by looking at the area where the mammal is living.

An otter leaves piles of fishbone and scales because they tend to eat in the same place repeatedly. Otters are also very social creatures, and you will hear a barking similar to a dog as they chatter back and forth with each other. The land where the otter lives will have distinct smooth areas on the water banks, which are called “otter slides,” and they help the otter get into the water quickly.

They use these trails so often they cause them to look like slick slides, and the otter slides rapidly into the water – it’s a great escape route from a predator.

The Beaver

The beaver is the largest of the three mammals. They can weigh up to 60 pounds, look much rounder, and are definitely not very athletic looking. They are covered with long fur, and have … Read the rest of the story.

from Nature Nibble https://ift.tt/mQjawvN