Giant otter

The giant otter or giant river otter (Pteronura brasiliensis) is a type of otter. It is the longest type of mustelid. It can grow up to 1.7 metres (5.6 ft). The giant otter is diurnal. It is the noisiest type of otter. The giant otter is the largest type of otter in the world.

Giant otter
Cuiaba River, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil
Conservation status
Endangered (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Order:	Carnivora
Family:	Mustelidae
Genus:	Pteronura Gray, 1837
Species:	P. brasiliensis
Binomial name
Pteronura brasiliensis (Gmelin, 1788)
Giant otter range

Giant Otter Media

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  Giant otter head from the Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi research institute

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  A wild giant otter "periscoping" in Cantão State Park in Brazil, showing its identifying throat marks

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  Skull seen from the side. Short-snouted as usual in mustelids, it has a pronounced sagittal crest, allowing for a very powerful bite in this species.

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  Giant otters leave a pool together at the Philadelphia Zoo. The species is extremely social, a rarity among mustelids, and family groups are cohesive.

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  A giant otter den dug on a lakeshore at Cantão State Park – the newly dug white sand is a sign of recent activity at this den.

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  Captive giant otters have contributed greatly to scientific knowledge of the species by providing readily available subjects for research on the species' reproduction and life cycle.

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  A captive giant otter, when feeding, grasps prey in its forepaws and begins eating immediately, at the head.

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  A group of four giant otters emerging from the water to patrol a campsite on the riverbank at Cantão State Park

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  Characins such as piranha species are prey for the giant otter, but these aggressive fish may also pose a danger. Duplaix speculated that piranhas may attack giant otters.

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  Giant otter from Venezuela