One of the hardest arguments many have at the Everglades whether on one of our tours or just hiking by themselves is “which of these animals are the cutest?” While there may be no definitive answer to that very important question, one animal certainly will come up: the otter.
The otters of the Everglades are North American river otters, also known as the common otter. These adorable animals are not endangered, but very sensitive to pollution causing them to become a protected species, especially in the Everglades. Otters are equally versatile on water and land and they often make their homes in a burrow close to the water’s edge.
Each otter home has many tunnel openings and they enter by simply sliding down.
They are part of the weasel family but unlike badgers, wolverines, and other weasels, otters love the water and are incredibly playful. Otters are so playful that they even learn survival skills like fighting and hunting through chasing, wrestling, and other lively activities with their family members. River otters are also known for somersaulting, flipping, and sliding while in the water.
Otters are also very much like humans in their social structure. They base their social group around the family. Baby otters learn from their parents and avoid predators by being able to swim underwater to dodge them as they can be underwater for up to eight minutes and dive up to twenty meters or about sixty-five feet. Male otters also find a social group of up to a dozen other male otters with families and those families tend to hunt, travel together, and sometimes share a den. Perhaps the best aspect of this social structure, and what makes otters a prime contender for cutest animal of the Everglades, is that otters hold hands while they sleep.
Needless to say it is hard to dispute the beauty and just overall awesomeness of the Florida otter. Whether they are the cutest animal is up to you. You can see the otter and tons of other animals on one of our Florida airboat rides. Book your trip online or call us at 866-532-7167 and maybe you can see an otter for yourself.
