otter

Table of Contents

References & Edit History Quick Facts & Related Topics

Images, Videos & Interactives

Witness the playful gliding and fishing of river otters in a freshly thawed North American river

river otter and sea otter

Spotting wild otters in the Shetland Islands

River otter (Lutra canadensis).

For Students

River otter (Lutra canadensis).

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Spider monkey swinging in a tree. (primate, jungle animal)

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Portrait of western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla), Bayanga, Central African Republic

Gorilla gorilla, Sula sula, and Other Animals Whose Names Are Tautonyms—the Same for Genus and Species

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Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. addresses marchers during his "I Have a Dream" speech at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington. August 28th 1963

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Washington, D.C. locator map.

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Martin Luther King, Jr.

Why We Celebrate MLK Day

Ruminant. Deer. Red deer. Cervus elaphus. Buck. Stag. Antlers.

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President Barack Obama signs the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans Executive Order in the Oval Office, July 26, 2012

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otter: Facts & Related Content

Written and fact-checked by The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Facts

Also Known As	Lutrinae

Photos and Videos

River otter (Lutra canadensis).

Witness the playful gliding and fishing of river otters in a freshly thawed North American river

Spotting wild otters in the Shetland Islands

See All Videos, Images and Interactives →

Topics

Lontra clawless otter river otter smooth-coated otter Central American otter North American river otter African clawless otter Congo clawless otter What’s the difference between river otters and sea otters?speckle-throated otter badger weasel polecat

Quiz

Mute swan with cygnet. (birds)

Match the Baby Animal to Its Mama Quiz

Sea otter (Enhydra lutris), also called great sea otter, rare, completely marine otter of the northern Pacific, usually found in kelp beds. Floats on back. Looks like sea otter laughing. saltwater otters

Animal Group Names

Dromedary camels (Camelus dromedarius). Animals, mammals.

Ultimate Animals Quiz

Young chimpanzee dressed in a shirt and sweater vest, scratching his head thinking. (primates)

Wild Words from the Animal Kingdom Vocabulary Quiz

Lion (panthera leo)

Deadliest Animals Quiz

vulture. An adult bearded vulture at a raptor recovery center. The Gypaetus barbatus also known as the Lammergeier or Lammergeyer, is a bird of prey and considered an Old World vulture.

Animal Factoids

List

Portrait of western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla), Bayanga, Central African Republic

Gorilla gorilla, Sula sula, and Other Animals Whose Names Are Tautonyms—the Same for Genus and Species

animal. Amphibian. Frog. Anura. Ranidae. Frog in grass.

Abundant Animals: The Most Numerous Organisms in the World

cat. orange and white persian cat with long hair, snarl, growl, teeth

7 Questions About Mammals Answered