Otters are mammals that are able to swim in the water. They have thick furs that help them regulate body temperature despite extreme weather or winter conditions. Their feet are also webbed and this helps them with swimming in water bodies like rivers and oceans. Otters are known to live near rivers because of the ideal environment it gives them. Being semi-aquatic mammals, otters prefer having the best of both land and water. River banks for example provide otters their best possible shelter.The nearby land is their abode when it is time for their rest and the river is where they get busy each day swimming and looking for food.
Fish is the main food of most otters and this is one main reason that otters find shelter near the river. Most of their daytime activities involve swimming and looking for food in the water. Having webbed feet that serve as flippers, otters have become masters in fish hunting. Aside from fish though, otters also eat shellfish and crabs among many other creatures that can be found near the river. With so much food choices, there is no wonder that otters prefer to live near the water.
Aside from being the source of food though, the river also serves as some kind of safe and protected environment for otters. Compared to land, there are far fewer predators in the water. On land, otters can be eaten by birds, snakes, or wolves. With the otter’s webbed feet, they can better protect themselves by swimming in the river rather than crawling on land. The otter’s swimming skills are said to be very good helping them catch fish and other sea creatures or escape from possible predators. By living near the river, otters will have an easier time to jump into the water when predator-related emergency strikes.
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