The European otter, Lutra lutra, is a carnivorous mammal from the Mustelidae family which can weigh up to 11 kg. It lives in ponds, lakes and rivers and mainly feeds on fish and amphibians.
Profile
Near threatened (NT)
Lifestyle
In the water, otters use their vibrissae (whiskers) to detect the vibrations of fish. When it fishes, it generally brings its catch back to the banks to eat it.
Distinctive features
With its webbed feet and particularly dense, thick fur, the otter is well adapted to the aquatic environment. Grooming its fur is of vital importance, as this natural layer of hair limits heat loss while waterproofing its epidermis.
Anecdote
Otters are capable of ingesting up to 1 kg of food a day, although their maximum weight rarely exceeds 11 kg!
EUROPEAN OTTERS
GET TO KNOW THE OTTERS
Becca and Dieko arrived at the Parc zoologique de Paris in 2014 and 2015 respectively, and get on very well together, despite being rather solitary animals. They can be distinguished from each other by their morphology (Becca is smaller, thinner and has a small white spot under her chin) but above all by their character: Dieko is lively, curious and extremely greedy!
