Otter

Otter lithograph
MFA# 2012.7128

Ceremonial collar
MFA# 1984.322

Description

1) Small aquatic mammals of the family Mustelidae. Otters have very dense, soft underfur covered by long guard hairs. Otters are native to several areas around the globe where they live in both fresh water (River otter) and marine (Sea otter) environments. Once widely hunted and trapped to near extinction, otters are now protected by the 1911 Fur Seal Treaty.

2) See annatto.

River otter skins

Synonyms and Related Terms

Otter (Deut.); nutria (Esp.); loutre (Fr.); lutrinae (It.); lontra (It., Port.); otters (Ned.);

Additional Images

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  Brazilian Giant Otter

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  River Otter

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  Sea Otter

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  Otter

Resources and Citations

• Encyclopedia Britannica, http://www.britannica.com Comment: "otter." (Accessed 14 Sept. 2005).

• Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otter (Accessed Sept. 14, 2005)

• The American Heritage Dictionary or Encarta, via Microsoft Bookshelf 98, Microsoft Corp., 1998