OTTER     = Lutra lutra

Order                           = Carnivora

Family                          = Mustelidae

length of body               = 60 cm

length of tail                  = 30 cm

The Otter is a carnivore which lives on the banks of rivers, streams, lakes and sometimes in the sea.

There are eight species found throughout the world and they are all very similar in character to each other.

In Jordan, the Otter is found in very small numbers in the northern part of the Jordan River where it joins with the Yarmouk River. It also used to be found in the Zerka River where it joined with the stream flowing from Jerash. It has almost disappeared from that area due to the water loss in the Zerka River and contamination of its waters from the Sewage Treatment plant at Khirbet Al-Samra. Pollution and disturbance are the two main causes of its decline worldwide.

Although it is a land animal, it is ideally adapted to live in water and is more at home swimming than moving around on land. It is extremely skilful at swimming and diving and has the ability to close its nostrils and ears whilst diving in search of food.

The otter feeds mainly on small fish, but also eats frogs, waterbirds and small mammals which live close to water.

It is mainly nocturnal and likes solitude except during the mating season. It sometimes builds slides in the mud on the banks of the river and enjoys sliding down these into the water. Its den is usually burrowed out of the river bank, the chamber being above water-level while the entrance is below.

The female gives birth once a year and has its litter in early spring giving birth to two or three cubs.