For that reason they are often mistaken for another type of animal. The giant otter is native only to the Amazon, Orinoco, and La Plata river systems in South America. Giant otters live in small family groups of 3-10 animals. Females are smaller at 1-1.5m (3.3-4.9ft). Main Characteristics Giant Otters are the largest mustelid and they are similar to a very large river otter. Logging and farming destroy giant otter breeding sites, and mining poisons the rivers where they live with mercury. They dwell in flooded forests, slow moving rivers, streams, lakes and swamps. monspesulanus was a leopard-size (about 65 kg) relative of … They are hunted for their water resistant fur and for their meat. Many people find this particular Otter to be different in size and shape from others. The babies are born blind and don’t start swimming until they are about 12 weeks old. Distribution. In the wild the lifespan of a giant otter is approximately 9 years; in captivity ages of up to 22 years have been recorded but this is exceptional. Giant otters … Each otter has a unique speckled brown and cream throat patch which renders easy visual identification of individuals. An average giant otter will weigh between 22 and 32kg (49-71lbs). Otters range in size from 3 kg (6.6 pounds) in the Asian small-clawed otter (Aonyx cinereus, formerly Amblonyx cinereus) to 26 kg (57 pounds) in the giant otter (Pteronura brasiliensis) and 45 kg (99 pounds) in the sea otter (Enhydra lutris). Here’s why. Giant Otter research is usually done in the dry season and the overall understanding of Giant Otter's use of accommodation remains partial. The giant otter is the longest of the otter species but shares a similar weight with the sea otter. At 5.6 feet (1.7 meters), they are the biggest otters in the world and the longest members of the weasel family. Giant River Otter At more than twice the length of the North American river otter, the giant river otter (Pteronura brasiliensis) is quite a sight.A skilled hunter and apex predator, the giant river otter is also very much a family-oriented creature, living in large and often noisy groups along the river banks of the Amazon and its tributaries. They are also downright scary-looking. They build large dens in riverbanks and give birth to 1-5 babies at a time. Check this one out: Giant otter with fish. They have a body length between 1 and 1.4 m (3.25 - 4.5 ft), a tail length between 45 and 65 cms (18 - 26 inches) and they weigh between 22 and 32 Kgs (49 - 71 lbs). Between 1950 – 1970, 20,000 otter pelts were exported from Peru alone. Throughout South America is where you will find the Giant Otter. Two of them were gigantic: Sivaonyx hendeyi was an otter the size of a wolf (around 40 kg) and Plesiogulo aff. The Giant Otter features a very long body, similar to that of a weasel. 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