The giant Otter is a mammal of South America. It is the longest member of the Mustelidae, or weaselfamily, a group worldwide success of predators. Unusually for a weasel, the giant Otter is a social species, with family groups normally supporting members of three to eight. Groups are focused on a dominant breeding pair and are extremely cohesive and cooperative. Although generally peaceful, the species is territorial and aggression has been observed between the groups. The giant Otter isdiurnal, being exclusively active during daylight hours. It is the noisiest Otter species and different vocalizations have been documented to indicate alarm, aggressiveness, and reinsurance. Ranges of giant Otter in the North of South America. The giant Otter live mainly in in the Amazon and Pantanal.
Distribution has been greatly reduced and is now broken. Decades of poaching for its velvety skin, peaking in the late 1950s and 1960s, greatly decrease the population numbers. The species was listed as endangered in 1999 and population estimates are typically under the 5000 wild. Guyana is the last real stronghold for the species. It is the mammal endangered in neo tropics.Degradation of Habitat and the loss is the greatest threat actual.La giant Otter is also rare in captivity: in 2003, only 60 animals were held.
The giant Otter shows a variety of accommodations suitable for an amphibious, lifestyle including exceptionally dense fur, tail and wings and webbed feet.The species prefer fresh water rivers and streams, which tend to be seasonally flooded and can also take in fresh water lakes and springs.Campsites near builds extensive feeding areas, clearing of large amounts of vegetation. giant Otter largely subsists on a diet of fish, the particularlycharacins and the catfish and also to eat cangrejos.No has no natural predators serious non-humans, although it has to compete with other species, including species Neotropical Otter, Cayman, food resources.
