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Kids Ask Skipper - What Do Otters Eat?
By Skipper the Door County Otter
Mar 1, 2011 - 6:56:00 AM
Dear Skipper: I am wondering what otters eat. And how do they get their food? What happens in the winter? Do they hibernate? You are a cool otter...you rock! Love, Jacob Grade 1, Sturgeon Bay
Dear Jacob, I’m glad that you are interested in otters! Being an otter myself, I know many otter facts, and I am excited to answer your questions!
Otters’ favorite food is fish! Sometimes, they also like to mix it up a little and will add some crabs, frogs, crayfish, birds or small mammals to their menus. They hunt for their food by catching fish in the water or searching for fish on the beds of rivers, lakes, or the seas. Most otters live right by the water, and spend most of their time on land, only entering the water in search of food or to travel. For most otter species (there are 13 different species of otters that are currently living), if they spend too much time in the water, their fur becomes waterlogged. However, the Sea Otter can (and does) live in the sea for most of its life. No, otters don’t hibernate, although they do become much less active in the winter. Here is a fun otter fact that I found on Wikipedia.com: Many otters live in cold waters and have very high metabolic rates to help keep them warm. Eurasian otters must eat 15% of their body-weight a day, and sea otters 20 to 25%, depending on the temperature. In water as warm as 10°C (50°F) an otter needs to catch 100 grams (3 oz) of fish per hour to survive. Most species hunt for 3 to 5 hours a day, and nursing mothers up to 8 hours a day.
Your friend, Skipper
Skipper's
expertise is in life outdoors, but he will also address questions about
other topics such as food, school issues, sports, getting along with
others, family pets, etc. So what's your question?
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that is, Tuesdays, so that he has ample time to ponder, research, and
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