Marine Otter
(Lontra felina)
The posts this week are brief overviews of EACH of the
otter species, focusing on recent information about each species and a
vid or 2...
Marine Otters seem to be the only otter other than the sea otter that do not require access to fresh water to wash themselves. Though Marine Otters tend to be solitary, they are generally friendly (but not highly sociable) with other otters. They do sometimes hunt cooperatively, groups of two or three otters working together to catch larger fish. Also, Marine Otters have hairy noses! (Also known as the Sea Cat)
Status: Endangered and Decreasing
Marine Otters (distribution shown in yellow on the map to the left) live along the west coast of South America, from Peru to Chile, with a few noted "around the corner" in Argentina.
They tend to live in diversity rich areas along rocky shores with caves.
The habitat range of the Marine Otter overlaps in Chile with the other "most southerly" Lontra-otter, the South American River otter.
Videos of these agile little otters in the water are amazing to watch!
If you want more in-depth reading a few research articles you could explore on these otters includes:
> Non-invasive genetic analysis reveals high levels of mtDNA variability in the endangered South-American marine otter (Lontra felina)
> Phylogeography of the marine otter (Lontra felina): historical and contemporary factors determining its distribution, JA Vianna, P Ayerdi, G Medina-Vogel. Journal of Am Genetic Assoc, 2010> The marine otter Lontra felina (): A review of its present status and implications for future conservation,J Valqui - Mammalian Biology-Zeitschrift für Säugetierkunde, 2012 > The late Miocene radiation of modern Felidae: a genetic assessment,WE Johnson, E Eizirik, J Pecon-Slattery, 2006
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