Class: Mammalia Order: Carnivora Family: Mustelidae Genus: Lutra Species: canadensis
Otters are the only truly amphibious members of the weasel family. The otter’s streamlined body is covered by tightly packed underfur and long, water-repellent guard hairs. The snout and elbow joints are speckled with stiff whiskers called vibrissae. These vibrissae area very important tool for capturing prey, because they detect turbulence in the water, and act as a “fish finder”. The otter’s ears and nostrils seal themselves off during underwater endeavors, making vibrissae an essential tool.
