Speckle-throated Otter
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| Speckle-throated Otter | ||||||||||||||
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| Hydrictis maculicollis (Lichtenstein, 1835) |
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 Distribution of Speckle-throated Otter
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Lutra maculicollis |
The Speckle-throated Otter (Hydrictis maculicollis syn. Lutra maculicollis) is an otter native to sub-Saharan Africa. It is also called the Spotted-necked Otter. It is about a meter long and weighs about six kilograms. Like other otters it is sleek and has webbed paws for swimming. Its fur is deep brown and marked with light spots around its throat.
The Speckle-throated Otter hunts for fish and crustaceans in rivers and lakes. A visual hunter, it stays in clear water with good visibility. It is very vocal, uttering high, thin whistles. The female bears a litter of about three young in an underground burrow, and cares for them for almost a year. The otters are sometimes found in family groups. It is a clever animal, quite capable of using rocks to smash open shells. This rudimentary use of tools speaks volumes about the intelligence of the otter.
The Speckle-throated Otter is in decline, mostly due to habitat destruction and pollution of its clear-water habitats. It is hunted as bushmeat.
There are five subspecies.
[edit] References
- ^ Nel, J.A.J. (2004). Lutra maculicollis. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 2006-11-14.
[edit] External links
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