Different Body Parts of an Otter

All otter species are well adapted to spend the majority of their lives in the water. Sea otters hunt, sleep, mate and even give birth in the water. The otter belongs to the weasel family or the Mustelidae family as it is sometimes referred to, which also includes the badger and skunk, according to "National Geographic." There are several species of otter including the sea otter, the river otter, the giant river otter and the clawless otter.

  1. Webbed Feet

    • Otters have webbing between their toes on each foot and this helps them to swim quickly through the water. Sea otters are also capable of grasping objects with their feet and can often be seen holding clams and mussels while they lie on their backs floating on the surface of the water. The otter will place a small rock on his chest and bash the morsel against it repeatedly with his feet until it breaks open and he can eat it. The otter's feet are also formed to walk on land, which means that the otter is able to move efficiently out of the water as well as in.

    Tail

    • The otter has a large tail that is around 1/3 of her total body length. This tail adds to the streamlined shape that makes up the otter's body and enables her to move quickly through water. This is an important adaptation for the otter as it makes her an efficient predator when hunting for fish. The otter's tail is a powerful muscle that helps the animal steer when swimming, enabling her to carry out acrobatic movements underwater. The otter is an incredibly playful animal and will do this for the fun of it, according to "National Geographic."

    Ears and Nose

    • The otter can completely seal his ears and nostrils when swimming underwater to keep the water from getting in. This can be useful when the otter is hunting beneath the surface of the water. Otters can stay underwater up to four minutes before needing to return to the surface to take a breath.

    Coat

    • Rather than relying on body fat for insulation in the cold water, the otter relies entirely on a waterproof fur coat. In the case of the sea otter this coat is made up of more than 100,000 hairs per square inch, which means that the sea otter has the highest fur density of any fur-coated mammal in the world, according to TigerHomes.org. The otter will spend a lot of time preening and grooming the coat with her teeth and paws to ensure that it is kept in good condition. The sea otter's thick layer of underfur insulates effectively by trapping air against the otter's skin, although the presence of oil in the water can prevent this from happening. And it's this reason that the sea otter is vulnerable to hypothermia in the event of an oil spill.