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North American river otters may also use hollow trees or logs, undercut banks, rock formations, backwater sloughs, and flood debris. A den as a resting site is chiefly opportunistic, although locations that provide protection and seclusion are preferred. Sea otters live and sleep in the water, rarely coming onto dry land.Įver wondered if all mammals are warm-blooded? Find out here. The North American river otter lives in a holt or den. These are constructed by other animals and can be under a log or on the river bank. The dens have an entrance that may be underwater or above ground, which leads to a nest chamber lined with leaves, grass, moss, bark, and hair.
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Otters live in dens, but they do not build these themselves. They use the shelters from other animals, invading them to make them their own. These dens are located under the ground and have many inner chambers. Otters do not have a specific place where they live. Otters can be found in almost all parts of North America, with wet habitats such as rivers, lakes, oceans, coastlines, and marshes. When sleeping in the sea, otters will usually sleep in kelp strands, which keeps them from drifting too far.ĭo you know how big beavers grow? Do their teeth ever stop growing? Find out here Where do Otters Usually Sleep? They can also sleep in the water, lying on their backs on the surface. Otters have no particular place to sleep but will always look for safety. They either sleep in dens or above the ground. Only sea otters hold hands as they swim on their backs with most of their body out of the water. River otters do not hold hands as they are almost entirely submerged when swimming with their back up. River otters sleep on land while the sea otter sleeps in the water. Other otter species aren’t capable of floating on their backs in the water. It is one reason which makes these mammals unique from other species. This habit of the sea otter sleeping and holding hands is a rare adaptation in mammals. The river otter lives in dens, where it is not easy to make observations, and research cannot answer these questions. It is unclear if the river otter does hold hands while sleeping. They do not sleep in water like the sea otter. Otters also hold hands with each other and form what is called a raft. They always do this while sleeping and resting, which keeps families from drifting apart.Īnother reason why otters hold hands is to stop drifting too far from their food source. The current can move them away from their food source, and the added weight of others helps them stay in one place. Very young pups do not hold hands, and they can be seen sitting on the adult’s stomachs. The parents hold hands while sleeping with their pup, so they don’t drift away. They use the kelp as an anchor to sleep without any fear of floating out to the open ocean. By wrapping themselves in long strands of kelp, adults can stay in one place. The kelp grows from the seafloor up to the surface. To get around this, they ride on top of their mother. When the female parent has to hunt, they keep their pups safe by wrapping them in seaweed. By doing this, the pups do not float away, and the parent can find them easily.Īdults also use kelp to stop themselves from floating away when they sleep. Holding hands while sleeping is difficult for babies as they are too small to hold hands. Otters do not hold hands with just any otter. They will either pick their mate or an otter from their family. They do this so as not to drift apart while they sleep. How do Otters Pick who to Hold Hands With? Otters spend a lot of their time grooming. They clean the fur, untangling knots, removing loose hair, and rubbing the coat to squeeze out any excess water. They also introduce air into the fur by blowing air directly into their coat.ĭid you know that beavers are good for the environment? Find out more here. The fur of an otter is thick, and as the otter sheds, it is replaced gradually rather than in a specific season. Their hair helps them stay buoyant in the water, so they must keep their fur clean to give them this natural buoyancy. The third reason they hold hands is to protect themselves from predators and hunters. Otter fur is expensive, and the animal is often hunted. When they hold hands with another otter, they can remain away from land, making it harder for hunters to kill them. There is high competition between male otters when finding a mate. Otters fear losing their family members while they are sleeping or relaxing.Īnother reason otters hold hands is the fear of losing their female partner to another male. One reason why otters hold hands is to avoid drifting away in the water. Otters hold hands while they sleep in the water.