Otters are adorable, let’s face it. And so are beavers. They also look strikingly similar, since they both belong to the same family. But there are a few differences between the habits of the two mammals. For example, do otters build dams?
No, unlike beavers, otters do not build dams. They do not have the kind of teeth and instinctual capabilities that beavers do. However, they are often spotted taking advantage of an abandoned beaver lodge or dam by using it as a makeshift home.
Below, we’ll go into more detail about whether otters build dams and provide more information about their habitat.
Do Otters Build Dams?
River otters can live in both freshwater and dry environments with ease. There are related animals like badgers and weasels. While otters don’t construct dams like beavers do, they sometimes make their homes in ones that have been abandoned by beavers.
Because the dam is located in the middle of the river, it would make an excellent home for a family of otters.
Habitat
The entrances to river otter dens are submerged. The otters will use moss, leaves, and other organic materials they discover nearby to line the interior of the tunnel leading to their nest. River otters make their dens on river banks, and the openings are always submerged.
They will also make use of shelters that have been abandoned by other animals or found in the wild, such as hollow logs.
The otter family chooses a spot far away from the den to use as a bathroom. In addition to this, they have a large number of smaller dens and resting sites spread out around their territory.
Geographical Area
The EPA reports that there are North American River Otters in 44 of the 50 states and 11 of Canada. Many other countries around the world are home to various river otter species. These otters are most commonly seen in rivers but can also be found in wetlands like swamps and marshes.
They can handle either hot or cold temperatures just fine. While otters don’t move around based on the seasons, they will relocate if pollution threatens their natural environment.
Territory
According to the EPA, otters are not territorial and do not aggressively defend their territory. When threatened, an otter will fight to protect itself and its immediate surroundings. The otter’s home range might be as small as one square mile or as large as twenty-two square miles.
The territory of male otters is typically larger than that of females. An otter’s territory size may also be affected by factors such as its age and social standing. Home range size appears to be related to factors like environmental quality and the availability of food.
Otters, for instance, will expand their territory by incorporating neighboring areas where food is more abundant if fish populations decline in one section of a river.
Otter vs. Beavers
This section provides information about otters and beavers, which you can use to compare the two mammals.
Otters
The otter’s physique is slim and athletic, ideal for swimming and fast movement. The body form is the most obvious distinction between these two species. Their brown, dense, shiny fur covers them from the tip of their muscular tail to the rest of their body.
In contrast to the shorter, hairier tails of the beaver and muskrat, theirs is lengthy and covered in fur. The river otter can range in size from 38 to 44 inches in length and 30 pounds in weight, although smaller ones have been recorded. The habitat of a mammal is often a good indicator of the species that inhabit the area.
Otters have a habit of returning to the same spot to dine, leaving behind a mess of fish bones and scale each time they do. Otters are also known for making sounds resembling dogs barking when communicating with one another.
The terrain where otters are found will have characteristic smooth spots on the water banks known as “otter slides,” which the otters use to descend into the water quickly.
Because of how frequently they utilize these pathways, they become smooth slides that the otter can use to quickly and easily reach the water if threatened.
Beavers
A beaver is much larger than an otter. They can gain up to 60 pounds, have a lot less muscular build, and have a rounder appearance. Otters differ from beavers in that they have a longer coat of fur and a more specialized set of fingers for grabbing the plants they eat.
The beaver diet consists entirely of plant matter, including tree bark, clover, water plants, as well as crops. The beavertail is the characteristic that differentiates the two mammals from one another the most. When angry or trying to scare you away, they slap the water with their big, hairless, flat tails.
The sight of this massive animal striking the water with its bare tail might be unnerving. The environment in which they exist also sets them apart. A beaver dam, built to divert or impede the flow of water, and a beaver lodge, where these animals make their home, are common sights in the wild.
There will be apparent damage to the trees in the surrounding region as a result of the beavers’ activity. Beavers use the wood they consume to construct their houses.
Do Otters and Beavers Get Along?
There is usually no trouble between beavers and otters. They share habitats, yet one species benefits more than the other from this mutual arrangement. The otter benefits from this situation.
Even though it is considered a predator of beavers, the otter will only consume a beaver as a last resort when there is an extreme lack of other food sources. The presence of an otter does not appear to bother the beaver, as evidenced by the fact that it will continue to work and live in the same area as the otter.
Living near a beaver dam is ideal for otters.
Beavers can impede the flow of water, which frequently results in the capture of fish inside the dam that they create. The otter will have an easy time catching fish thanks to this. A beaver’s dam might provide a haven from predators or a convenient place to rest and eat migrating fish.
Conclusion
It’s easy to understand how anyone could mix up beavers and otters. They are both aquatic animals that look strikingly similar. But indeed, the two have a few differences, like the one mentioned in this article. The more you know!
