Giant Otter Research!

Giant Otter Research Paper

The giant otter is one of the many species that live in South America, particularly in the Amazon Rain Forest. Living up to its name, this mammal can grow up to six feet long and weigh up to 75 pounds (National Geographic, n.d.). They are definitely different than the cute and small otter that one may see at zoos or aquariums. There are some similarities, too, however. These include things like loving the water and being agile and highly maneuverable underwater. Also similar to their brother the smaller otter, giant otters are able to use tools such as sticks and rocks to break open shells to find food for themselves (Zoo Atlanta, n.d.). They are also able to detect movement or vibrations underwater by use of their long whiskers. Interestingly, all giant otters have dark brown coats as well as yellow and white patches on their chin and throat. These patches are unique to each otter, kind of like a cool fingerprint (Zoo Atlanta, n.d.).  They are part of the weasel family, which includes skunks. Similarly to skunks, giant otters have scent glands at the base of their tails that emit strong odors to ward off predators. These mammals also live in small family units and are very social creatures, being very well adapted for both land and water. 

Giant otters mainly live in wetland or river areas because of their lifestyles. They can be found throughout the entire Amazon River Basin and into the Guiana Shield. This includes countries such as Guyana and Suriname. They live nearby freshwater, whether it be streams, rivers or wetlands (Zoo Atlanta, n.d.). According to the Amazon Aid Foundation, giant otters are only found in three river systems; the Amazon, the Orinoco and La Plata (n.d). Their main diet mostly consists of small fish and crustaceans, but sometimes they will catch the occasional small anaconda like it’s no big deal. They are the apex predator within their habitat, consuming an average of six to nine pounds of food a day. In fact, they compete with jaguars and some other caimans for food (Giant River Otter, n.d)! Imagine seeing a jaguar and a giant otter fighting for a fish!

Unfortunately, these creatures are currently endangered, being hunted for their pelts that are very desirable. Even though they are one of the top predators in their aquatic ecosystem, their population is declining. Their population was decimated during the era of fur trading, but since that has been banned, they began to make a comeback. Currently, they are being threatened by human activity, mainly illegal gold mining and deforestation. These strip away the river banks the giant otters live on, as well as creating a surplus of mercury that flows into the water and the fish that the otters eat. This can lead to mercury poisoning, thus killing the otters that feed on the affected fish (Giant Otters in Peru, n.d.).

There are many conservation efforts ongoing to try to preserve the species. One of them is called the Giant Otter Project, which involves a team of people that are working to observe several giant otter families within Manu National Park in Peru with non-invasive procedures, such as testing the otter’s fecal matter for mercury or other contaminant levels. The team is led by Adi Barocas, who has collaborated with many of the native tribes of the area to try to understand and help this species (The Giant Otter Project, n.d.).

This species of otter, while very social and peaceful by nature, can also be aggressive and territorial if they have to be. Generally, different family groups will respect each others territories, though. They live in family groups consisting of between three and ten individuals, collectively called a holt. Each of these holts have their own territory that does not overlap with another family group’s territory. Typical to other mammals that live in family groups, marking territory is an important behavior that giant otters partake in. These families even do things such as play, hunt and fish together (Giant Otter, n.d.). Similar to human families, giant otters also partake in babysitting duties while some are away hunting. The families center around a male and female pair that are bonded for life, raising one to four otter babies per year(Giant Otter, n.d).

In closing, the giant otter is a generally peaceful apex predator that thrives in aquatic freshwater areas around South America. Their habitats are being destroyed by human activity unfortunately, making them an endangered species who’s population is declining. There are groups dedicated to the conservation of this incredibly intelligent and social creature, and one can hope that as these efforts continue, their population slowly begins to rise soon. Through practices such as protecting specific habitats and less destruction of their habitats, humans can help repopulate this species. More effort has to be done by local governments and authorities to make this happen, though, which can unfortunately be a very slow and very long process.