There are few creatures that are as charming as otters; their lithe forms are amusingly awkward on land but incredibly graceful in the water, and they are always a joy to behold. Their energetic playfulness makes them difficult to photograph, however, although this particular North American River Otter (Lontra canadensis) at the National Zoo stayed still long enough to allow for a few portraits. While not endangered over its entire range, the otter has been hunted out of some areas for its soft yet thick coat, which helps keep in warm during its amphibious pursuits, sometimes fetching upwards of $100 apiece.
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Awww, it looks like it wants to be petted. *pet pet pet*
It's easy being charming when your job is goin' fishin'.
Ah, mustalids. They are generally very cute, but river otters can be incredibly loud and obnoxious (if the ones at the Topeka Zoo are any indication). I like otters because they perfectly illustrate a sort of "pre-pinniped" for us to ponder. Down in Seward, you can't walk along the beach without seeing at least two sea otters with food on their bellies.
Zach; True, I have never heard a carnivore as vocal as the Giant Otter (Pteronura brasiliensis), but not all otters are so loud. I like them for the niche they inhabit as well and what it might be able to tell us about locomotion in extinct whale ancestors, but even beyond academic sentiments they simply make me smile whenever I see them.