- SEA LIFE, Otters
Otters are the only truly aquatic members of the Mustelid family
Which also includes weasels, stoats and badgers.
Our otters are Asian Short-Clawed Otters who are social animals living in extended family groups. They choose to reside in burrows dug into muddy banks. Only the dominant pair will breed, whilst their offspring and older cubs will help to raise new litters. They are playful and will spend much of the day on land playing, grooming, resting and sleeping.
Meet our resident otters
Lily, Pickle and Cub, are our Asian Short Clawed Otters at Loch Lomond SEA LIFE Aquarium.
Our Asian Short Clawed Otters are excellent ambassadors to help us promote Otter conservation as they are more active during the day than our native European Otter.
Did you know?
- Asian short-clawed otters are a very vocal species and can make at least 12 different sounds to communicate, including alarm, greeting and mating calls
- The otters eat primarily crustaceans and mollusks but will also eat fish, insects, amphibians and reptiles. Asian small-clawed otters use their forepaws rather than their mouth to locate and capture food items
- They have webbed feet, and true to their name, their claws do not extend beyond their digital pads
Effective hunters
Otters have been adapting to their environment for over 2 million years, making them effective hunters on land and perfectly suited to life in the water. However, unless we look after them and their habitats we could lose some Otter Species.
Plenty more fish?
Overfishing and damaging fishing practices threaten many British marine species including Otters.
