* Family: Otters belong to the family Mustelidae, which also includes weasels, badgers, wolverines, and minks. So, all of these animals are considered close relatives of the otter.
* Order: Mustelids are part of the order Carnivora, which includes all the meat-eating mammals. This group is much larger and includes cats, dogs, bears, and seals. While they share a common ancestor, they are more distantly related than other mustelids.
* Suborder: Carnivora is further divided into suborders. Otters fall under the suborder Caniformia, which includes dogs, bears, and seals. This means they are more closely related to these animals than to felines (like cats).
Therefore, depending on how closely related you want to go, some "cousins" to the otter could be:
* Weasels: The least weasel is the smallest carnivore in North America and is quite similar in size to an otter.
* Badgers: While looking quite different, badgers share many characteristics with otters, such as being strong swimmers and burrowing.
* Wolverines: Wolverines are fierce and solitary animals that are adapted to cold climates, similar to some otter species.
* Minks: Minks are sleek, semiaquatic animals with a similar body shape to otters.
Ultimately, the term "cousin" is subjective and depends on how you define the level of relatedness. However, all of these animals share a common ancestor with otters and are considered relatives to varying degrees.