But the sea otter’s habitat is unique, as they only live in shallow coastal waters in the North Pacific ocean. River otters were nearly extirpated from Minnesota by the early twentieth century from pollution, habitat loss and trapping. In the latter two they get most of their food. Otters live in a wide variety of watery locations, from the mighty Amazon to the heart of Singapore. Southern river otters are found in Argentina and Chile. The only types of ecosystems in which otters cannot be found are deserts, mountains, and polar regions. Their aquatic habitats can be both marine and fresh … The northern sea otter tends to haul out more than others. Neotropical otters range from Uruguay north to Central America and Mexico. Any burrow or den taken over by these animals is called a holt. It is illegal to relocate live otter in North Carolina. River otters generally live alone or in small social groups. 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. 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. Africa 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. They have, as the name suggests, small nails on their paws that are shorter than the length of the digits. Otters can be trapped during the regulated trapping season, or with a depredation permit outside of the trapping season, if damage has occurred. A sea otter snoozes on its back -- showing its hind legs, tail and webbed feet, which make otters great swimmers. Conservation. Small-clawed otters live in family groups of 6 to 12 individuals. 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. Otter Dens. Where do sea otters live in the world? These have hidden, underwater entrances for protection from predators, which makes them attractive to otters. It is much easier to list the habitats that river otters don’t live in than to list the areas they do. Be advised that any attempt to poison an otter is considered illegal, and would cause … Giant otters are found throughout almost all of South America. Although otters do not build them, they will sometimes use abandoned dams. Habitat of the Otter. Approximately 90 percent of the world’s sea otters live in coastal Alaska. There are three subspecies of sea otters: southern, northern and Russian sea otters. River otter trapping regulations An adult North American river otter can weigh between 5.0 and 14 kg (11.0 and 30.9 lb). The length of an otter’s dives depends on the individual species. Photo by Bob Winfree, National Park Service. Their return to the Twin Cities is a success story for the Mississippi River, showing positive change in water quality and trapping regulations. They can live eight to nine years in the wild but have lived up to 21 years in captivity. 3. Where do sea otters live map? The north American range of sea otters extends from the Aleutian Islands to Prince William Sound. River otters are found throughout most of North America from the Rio Grande to Canada and Alaska, except for in arid deserts and the treeless Arctic. The river otter is protected and insulated by a thick, water-repellent coat of fur. They live in riparian zones, often in the same areas as beavers. They do need dry land, though. Marine otters live along the Pacific coast of South America, ranging from northern Peru to Tierra del Fuego. 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