Once upon a time, people and animals were equal before the formidable forces of nature. But millennia passed, and man was able to subjugate wildlife, developed most of the land.

Nowadays, animals often cannot live on our planet in natural conditions, and many species are becoming extinct. Over the past 100 years, several hundred animal species have ceased to exist on Earth. Many are at risk of death in the near future. Adults and children all over the world must help animals not disappear from the face of the Earth. And for this we need to know who lives around us - in forests, fields, mountains, rivers. You need to know the habits of animals and not interfere with the behavior natural look life.

Otters are the largest members of the mustelid family: they reach a length of almost a meter and their weight reaches almost 12 kilograms. Otters are found in inland waters and are excellently adapted for living on water. Thanks to its rounded head, short thick neck, cylindrical body, thick tail and webbed feet, the otter moves effortlessly in the water. When she dives, the muscles of her ears and nostrils contract and close them tightly.

The otter's body is elongated, flexible, mobile, its ears are round, small, and barely protrude from the fur. The eyes are large, oriented forward and upward, and glow copper-red at night. The legs are short, with small claws and developed membranes between the toes. Hairline dark Brown, very thick and even throughout the body. The color of the fur on the belly is slightly lighter than on the back. Females are smaller than males.

Habitat

The otter is a semi-aquatic animal. Prefers inaccessible wooded shores. The nature of the ice cover is of great importance for the existence of the otter. The presence of wormwood and thawed areas is necessary for animals. The abundance of ice and the complete freezing of water bodies deprives them of the opportunity to develop even water bodies rich in food or forces them to make dangerous seasonal transitions.

Water is vital for the otter: in it it obtains food and seeks salvation from danger. But the land also has otters in its life great importance, on it the animal builds shelters and reproduces, rests and makes transitions between bodies of water.

river otter, as I already wrote, prefers rivers whose banks are covered with forest over a large area. Here she lives in underground passages. The exit is always under water, usually at a depth of half a meter; from here a passage almost two meters long rises in an oblique direction and leads to a spacious basin, which is carefully lined with grass, so that it is always dry. Another narrow passage leads from the basin to the surface of the shore and serves for ventilation. Typically, the river otter uses ready-made burrows and caves in the shore, washed away by water, for housing, which it only lengthens and expands by digging the ground and gnawing the roots it comes across. In rare cases, she uses abandoned fox and badger holes if they are located near water. For the most part, she owns several dwellings; if it happens that a river or lake is too abundant in fish, then there is no need for it to undertake long trips to change its habitat. During a flood, which also floods her home, she takes refuge in nearby trees or in a hollow and spends time here in peace and relaxation from her constant occupation - fishing.

The otter prefers ponds with clear water, fast current and rocky riverbed. Because of her passion for rivers, people call her the list (previously they said poreshnya). The river otter's home range, individual or family, is small and limited coastal strip, the width of which rarely exceeds 200-300 meters.

IN Hard times the otter turns into an avid traveler. In the north of the region, the otter moves away due to unfavorable ice cover - the animal actually leads a semi-nomadic lifestyle in winter, moving from one body of water to another. IN summer period migrations, on the contrary, are caused by summer shallowing and drying out - the otter goes to where large waters remain.

Nutrition

The river otter is a typical fish eater. In the rivers Chelyabinsk region she prefers perch, roach, bream and pike. The otter prefers small fish to large ones, and willingly catches fry in spawning areas. The otter feeds on everything it can handle. One day an otter caught not far from the house in a short time two geese that were swimming in a ditch, sneaking up on them underwater and grabbing their prey by the belly.

The otter's winter food is mainly frogs, which it hardly touches during the ice-free period. According to scientists in winter time these amphibians make up about half of its diet, but in the spring, when frogs are more active, the otter prefers to hunt fish.

Despite the fact that the otter is a carnivorous mammal, its diet in summer includes coastal plants such as reeds, cattails, horsetail, sedge and reeds.

Hunting methods

Usually the river otter goes fishing only after sunset. During such a hunt, she often happens to approach human habitation and climb into cities and villages lying along big rivers. In shallow waters, she drives fish into bays to make it difficult for them to escape and make it easier to catch them, or, slapping the water with their tail, drives them out of coastal holes and from under stones, so that the fish most likely becomes prey for a cunning beast.

The otter's main way of hunting fish is stalking and stalking. On shallow rifts, the predator guards its prey on rocks or on the shore. water rat The otter lies in wait at her holes. It mainly pursues schooling and not very active fish, which are easier to catch. The otter often visits “fish holes” - pools of calm water, in which sedentary fish accumulate for the night. Underwater, she always grabs prey with her mouth. An otter normally eats about one kilogram of fish per day. Having grabbed a fish, the predator usually eats it on a stone protruding from the water, in winter on the edge of an opening. It eats only freshly caught prey, does not hide uneaten remains and never returns to them.

Features of reproduction

There is still much that is unclear in the biology of otter reproduction. It is not confined to a specific season of the year. In every month of the year you can find her cubs. Typically, mating time coincides with the end of February and the beginning of March. The male and female attract each other with a strong, drawn-out whistle and play lovingly with each other in the water. Intrauterine development is delayed and can occur after 7-8 months. But most often, nine weeks after mating, the female brings two to four blind cubs in a safe burrow, built on the shore under an old tree or strong roots on a soft and warm grass bed. After nine to ten days the animals open their eyes, and after eight weeks the mother takes them out to fish. They remain for almost six months under the supervision of the female, during which she teaches the techniques necessary for their hunting. In the third year they become so mature that they are capable of reproduction. In the first days, the mother, leaving to hunt, covers the otter eggs with grass or moss if the nest is not made in a hole, but from the surface of the ground, hiding them from beast of prey or a bird of prey.

The otter is very attached to its offspring. In case of danger, she protects them, sometimes even attacks first. It's interesting how otters teach their cubs to swim. Kids are not afraid of water and splash around the shore, not daring to go into the depths. Their parents push them, and sometimes even take them on their backs to the middle of the river, and dump them there. Otters splash around in the water, and adults make sure they don't drown. The animals reach sexual maturity in the third year of life.

Lifestyle and distribution

• features of biology

The otter belongs to specialized freshwater forms associated with lowland and mountain rivers. In the absence of persecution, it gets along well in anthropogenic landscapes. It makes its burrow in close proximity to a pond, often using a niche under the roots of fallen trees (Appendix 1). It obtains food in the water and seeks refuge here in case of danger. It dives instantly with a strong splash, but if necessary, it goes under water completely silently.

Before diving, the otter takes in air in a split second; to do this, it only needs to stick the tip of its muzzle out of the water. It can stay under water for up to 5 minutes; the otter’s diving path can be traced by the bubbles of air it exhales.

The otter is a very active animal that spends a significant part of its time playing. In the water, the otter moves quickly, catching even the fastest fish (Appendix 5). She loves to skate with a running start on smooth ice or steep slopes, where characteristic grooves remain on the clay or snow (Appendix 3). The otter has a special “roller coaster” that the animals have been using for games for decades. In reservoirs where otters live, you can also find areas on the shore with trampled grass, where otters rest during the day (Appendix 6), as well as viewing and feeding “tables” with food remains and droppings. The otter is cautious and secretive; It mainly makes transitions to new areas by water. On land, the otter is less mobile and even clumsy, although it can walk across snowy ice up to 10 km. The otter knows its hunting area - a strip approximately 100 meters wide, stretching along the river for 2 - 6 km, down to the smallest detail. She has several burrows in this area. In some the otter sleeps and rests, while in others it lives only while feeding its babies. These nests are made especially carefully: the entrance is hidden under water, the ventilation hole is cleverly disguised in the bushes. With a rich food supply, a sedentary can live for several years.

• footprints

Footprints characteristic shape, with teardrop-shaped toe marks and an elongated heel on the hind legs. The first toe is often not imprinted, especially on the front paws, but even in not very deep snow there is usually a furrow from the tail. The size of the footprint is 12x10 cm. The footprints are arranged in oblique rows of 3 or 4 (Appendix 3) Jump length 60 - 90 cm.

• spreading

The otter is distributed everywhere except the tundra and arid areas, but is rare almost everywhere or has disappeared due to hunting, water pollution and a decrease in fish stocks. Relatively common only in some places in the north and north-west of the European part of Russia, on the middle Ob, Kamchatka, Sakhalin, in the Amur basin and nature reserves of Primorye. In the Urals it is found from the tundra of the Yamal Peninsula to Southern Urals inclusive, along the valley of the Ural River to the mouth. Currently, the otter permanently lives in the northwestern part of the Chelyabinsk region: the basin of the Verkhnyaya and Nizhnyaya Bianka (Asha region), Ay, Sulla, Nyazya and Ufa rivers.

• economic importance

Among fishermen and hunters at one time there was a widespread opinion that the otter was harmful. But careful research has shown that in places where the otter settles, fish catches increase. It “removes” sick and weakened fish from the reservoir and destroys trash fish en masse, thereby protecting the eggs of commercial fish species from being eaten.

In the past, the otter was an important game animal. Her fur was in high demand because it is very beautiful and durable. Its wearability in the fur industry is taken as 100%. During the processing process, the coarse awn is plucked out and a short, thick, delicate underfur is left.

• otter breeding and domestication

Although in nature the otter avoids humans, in captivity it easily makes contact with people. In terms of tameability, the otter is close to the dog. If an otter is raised from childhood, it will perceive people and other domestic animals as its family, love them and follow the person. A tamed otter cannot be passed on to other owners or sent to a zoo - it will suffer immensely after losing its family. The otter began to be domesticated many centuries ago. There is information that back in the 17th century, tame otters were used in England to drive fish into nets. On American and Canadian farms, it happens that otters live on equal terms with cats and dogs. Sometimes there are "semi-tamed" otters who live on the river and come to the farm to eat and play - after all, otters are more prone to play than any other wild animal. They really play with each other, and not only babies, but also adult otters. The list of fun activities includes catch-up, hide-and-seek, and wrestling. It happens that one otter catches a fish and hides it, while the others try to find it. Then the fish hides and the game starts all over again. In Russia, they tried to breed otters: in the Gorno-Altai Autonomous Region, on the basis of the Cherginsky experimental farm of the Siberian Branch of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, in the early 80s, attempts were made to cage breeding otters. For a number of reasons, it was not possible to obtain positive results, and the work was curtailed. Currently, employees of the Novosibirsk Zoo are quite successfully breeding otters. You can try to domesticate the otter - after all, it is good at communicating with people.

I think that the common otter is a promising species for domestication and cage farming. Domestication and cage breeding can save this species from extinction in its natural habitat.

As is known, many species of mammals have only partially mastered water element. Water helps some of them to avoid danger, others get food in it, but in all cases the life of these animals remains closely connected with land. Among the mammals of the domestic fauna, some representatives of insectivores, rodents and carnivores lead such a lifestyle. They have adapted to living both on land and in water at the same time, that is, they are semi-aquatic animals. Among insectivores it is primarily the muskrat, and among rodents it is water vole, muskrat, nutria, beaver; among predators - mink, river otter, sea ​​otter(or sea otter) and polar bear. They inhabit various inland reservoirs - rivers and their oxbows overgrown with aquatic vegetation, lake shores, and are also found in swamps. Some semi-aquatic rodents, such as the water vole, often go far from the water into fields in search of food. Semi-aquatic animals swim and dive beautifully, while on land many of them move no worse than terrestrial species of mammals.

A stronger connection with water is observed in representatives of marine semi-aquatic animals - pinnipeds and sea otters. Their adaptations to the aquatic lifestyle have gone so far that they feel much less confident on land than in water. However, unlike the other group marine mammals- cetaceans, they have maintained a strong connection with land, where they breed and feed their offspring, molt and rest. For these purposes, they use islands, coastal cliffs, sand spits or floating ice floes, as well as the coast of continents and coastal ice.

In landscape and environmental relations sea ​​coasts should be separated into a separate, intrazonal unit corresponding to the rank of the zone. The main factor characterizing all coastal habitats of animals is their location at the junction of two environments - water and land. Large group animals find the best nesting, feeding and protective conditions here. Therefore, it is the sea coasts that are characterized by such massive accumulations of animals at the most crucial time of their lives - during breeding periods, as bird colonies and rookeries of sea animals. Let us recall that in the generalized concept " sea ​​animal"it is customary to include, first of all, numerous representatives of the order Pinnipeds, as well as the sea otter from the order Carnivora, which was once widespread on the shores of many island systems and continents in the northern part Pacific Ocean. As for pinnipeds, even now there are a total of about twenty million of them.

The active use of water as a habitat caused the appearance of a number of morphological features and specific behavioral traits in semi-aquatic animals. Life in water and on land, that is, in conditions of different physical characteristics environments could not but influence the methods of intraspecific communication between animals. In this regard, first of all, the question arises of whether this is reflected in the sound communication system of semi-aquatic animals, and also whether the hearing and sound signaling of these animals depend on the degree of their adaptation to aquatic environment? To do this, we will consider hearing and sound signaling in representatives of two different groups of mammals - rodents and pinnipeds.

Man became acquainted with the river otter quite a long time ago. It was very difficult not to notice this animal with the skills of a natural swimmer. The otter is of interest not only because of its practical and durable fur. This is a very friendly creature that can be kept in captivity without any problems. With proper upbringing, a river otter can be trained quite easily, as it is a fairly peaceful animal that is not inclined to show aggression towards humans.

Characteristic

Because the river otter spends most of its life in water, this was reflected in her behavior and habits.

• This animal belongs to the mustelid family, so it demonstrates the skills of a cunning hunter characteristic of its representatives.
• The food for this animal is fish, which is not difficult for an otter to catch.
• When moving on land, the animal’s body looks slightly hunched over, but even this allows it to develop high speed running.
• If a person meets an otter on the ground, it will still be able to run away from him.
• The best place to build a home is in remote places where people rarely visit. Even though there will be little food in the place where they live, the otter will be more than happy with this, since this guarantees safety not only for him, but also for his offspring.
• This animal usually goes hunting in the morning and evening twilight. During strong winds and snowfalls, the otter prefers not to go outside and remains in its shelter for a long time.
• The otter is a very secretive and cautious animal that looks around all the time. It is very difficult to meet an otter in an open area on the shore. She also demonstrates secrecy when setting up her home, masking the exit from the water with spruce branches or creating it in places overgrown with bushes.
• The river otter is a fairly good-natured animal that loves to play. Therefore, if you decide to have it in your home, then you will not be bored.

Appearance

When someone mentions an otter, we usually associate it with something that has an unpleasant appearance. However, this animal does not correspond to this idea. She looks pretty attractive, having a very funny face that looks beautiful thanks to its long sideburns.

This animal highly valued for its wear-resistant and waterproof fur, which is an excellent material for making warm and beautiful fur coats.

Habitat

Otters can be found throughout the area Western Europe, as well as in Asia. She is also not a rare visitor near the southern border of Hindustan and China. The first representatives of this species were discovered in Greece, Spain, Great Britain and Switzerland, but quite soon their population disappeared, which was the result of active hunting for them. Experts who understand high risk the complete disappearance of otters, they are trying to create suitable housing for them on the lakes and reservoirs of these countries, but so far their attempts have not been crowned with much success, and the otter is still on the list of endangered species.

This animal feels most comfortable on rivers with fast currents and rocky bottoms. She likes narrow rivers about 10-15 m.

Today, the river otter numbers about 90 thousand individuals, which is very small considering the area of ​​our planet.

Key Features

The otter differs from other representatives of the mustelid family in that it spends most of its time in water. Therefore, she chooses for herself habitats where there is a body of water. According to experts, it is very important for this animal to have a sufficient amount of food, for which it can walk tens of kilometers on land. She is not inclined to stay in one place for a long time. Only the presence of enough food can keep it going.

The otter differs from other animals in that it and in winter continues to be awake. Therefore, at this time of year it can be seen near ice-free areas of water. Thanks to the presence of the polynya, this animal can lead its normal lifestyle, breathe and walk on land after a successful hunt.

Nutrition

This animal is not picky about food, so it can feed on various types of fish. The main food for an otter is:

• carp;
• trout;
• pike;
• small roach;
• crucian carp.

When the otter finds itself on land, it hunts rodents, wading birds and frogs. She will also not refuse large beetles and mollusks.

In search of food, this animal can also look into a fish hole, in which you can find many various types fish Easy prey for the otter are slow flocks, which it easily catches up with and, once in the thick of the small flocks, grabs the largest specimens.

The otter can also be interested in lone predator fish: in order to catch them, the otter sets up an ambush, from where it makes a lightning attack, as a result of which the victim does not have a single opportunity to escape. She uses similar tactics to hunt small rodents.

Reproduction

Animals used to living alone. Scientists do not have precise information about the periods in which they are usually disputed. Here it is necessary to take into account the climate of their habitat. In the temperate zone, these animals usually mate in March-April. But in Britain, as well as countries with warm climate these animals can bear offspring all year round.

Usually the otter begins to breed at the age of 2-3 years. The duration of pregnancy is approximately 8 months, and this does not allow maintaining a high number of representatives of this species. The female can bring at one time no more than two to four cubs. In the first years, the offspring require special attention, since it must be protected not only from enemies, but also from the vagaries of the weather.

During the period of bearing cubs, a mother otter demonstrates amazing care: she is ready to attack anyone if she suspects that someone wants to harm her babies. Because of rapid growth Otters stay with their mother for only a short time. Already upon reaching the age of one year, they are left by their mother and begin an independent life.

If you want to get an otter, we advise you not to do so. But if you are determined, you can try. But keep in mind that you must create suitable conditions for this animal: a deep reservoir with clean water. You must also create conditions for the animal to walk along the shore.

Unlike other domestic animals, the otter defecates very frequently and loose stools, from which it comes bad smell. This is due to the fact that it eats fish. This is another reason to think about whether to have an otter at home.

IN industrial scale These animals are bred in large nurseries, where conditions are created that are practically no different from natural ones. But even with appropriate care, even experienced breeders are not able to provide for everyone fur products. The thing is that these animals too rarely bear offspring.

They are valued primarily for their expensive and rare fur. Many experts note that the fur of this animal is unrivaled in terms of wear resistance. Most spectacular look have black fur products. They have coarse guard hairs, but they also have very soft and fluffy down. If necessary, designers can create real masterpieces from otter fur: to do this, they pluck out the guard hairs, as a result they get unusual beauty products covered with the most delicate down.

Conclusion

The river otter is a very interesting animal, which is very difficult to meet, even if you know about its habits. The fact is that she behaves very secretly and never settles near human habitations. At the first suspicion that she is being watched, she will immediately hide in her shelter. Therefore, you need to monitor it very carefully. The river otter may seem like a funny animal to some, so you may want to keep it in your home. However, this is not recommended, as it is a very troublesome task.

In addition to the fact that you will have to create conditions for it that are as close to natural as possible, this animal can cause trouble with its frequent bowel movements, from which an unpleasant odor will emanate. Therefore, if you have not yet lost the desire to keep a river otter at home, be prepared to come to terms with this drawback.

The river otter is called the European or common otter. This animal of the mustelid family is a predatory mammal. Otters can be found not only in water, but also on land. On the European part of the continent, this animal in its only form represents the group of “semi-aquatic predatory mammals of the mustelid family.” Otter habitats are rivers and lakes with fresh water. The otter is a fairly large animal. Its body length ranges from 55 to 95 centimeters, and it weighs about ten kilograms.

Because the animal leads semi water image life, it has some external differences: it is flexible, highly elongated, thin body, a tail, the length of which is almost half the length of the body, short legs, making the otter look squat, and there are swimming membranes between the toes. The small, narrow and flattened head is located at a fairly long neck. The otter has small, rounded ears and eyes directed forward and upward. When an animal is in water, its ear canals are closed by its paws.

The otter's fur is not long, but it has a very thick down. Its fur is shiny, rather coarse, close to the body, brown in color, on the belly a little lighter than on the back. In winter, the animal's fur is longer than in summer. There is no fur on the feet and hands.

Habitats. Lifestyle and nutrition.

The freshwater otter lives in almost the entire European part, except Switzerland and the Netherlands, and is also found in Asia and North Africa. In Russia it cannot be found only in the Far North.

As mentioned above, this animal leads a semi-aquatic lifestyle. Otters excellent divers and swimmers, since they have to feed in the water. Most often, the otter can be seen in forest rivers, in which there is a lot of fish, and less often - on the shores of lakes. For their homes, otters prefer rivers with whirlpools and rapids that are not covered with ice in winter, or banks washed away by water, where there are windfalls and places for burrows. Sometimes otters choose coastal caves for their homes or build something like a nest near the water. However, it is worth noting that the entrance to its burrow is always under water.

Each otter has its own places for hunting, this can be a stretch of water from two to eighteen kilometers and about a hundred meters deep coastal zone. In winter, when there is little fish, supplies run out, the ice holes are covered with ice, and the animal is forced to look for food in other places. Sometimes they have to travel long distances. If there is a slope on its way, the otter slides down it on its belly, leaving a trail resembling a gutter. The animal is capable of walking up to twenty kilometers on ice and snow per day.

The otter is distinguished by its secrecy and caution, especially when it is forced to be on land. Before leaving the pond, she carefully examines the nearby space, and camouflages the place where she goes ashore with branches and fin. Once on land, the animal always walks along the shore, only swimming if necessary. The otter moves along the water with the current, and if there is a riffle or rapid along the way, it goes around them on land. This animal, walking along the shore against the current, knows how to find shortcut, accurately finding the narrowest point of the bends. On each path of its passage there is a section where the otter quickly runs without stopping. Having reached the reservoir, she dives into the water directly from the path, and if the bank is steep, she slides down on her belly. The paths of the otter are different from the paths of river beavers. The otter's path always goes along the shore, without moving away from the water, and beavers walk perpendicular to the shore. And the footprint of an otter cannot be confused with any other. In its tracks you can clearly see the imprints of membranes and between the paw prints there is a trace from a dragging tail.

The otter is very mobile and has a playful disposition; it especially likes to slide down from different heights. Moreover, adult animals, like their young, love to slide off steep banks and plop into the water. The places of their games can be identified by polished slopes, the height of which can reach up to twenty meters. In winter, their games change a little, the otters scatter and then slide on their bellies through the snow two to three meters. It is clear that after this a trace remains in the snow, similar to a gutter. Most likely, this is not just fun, but a necessity, since in this way the otter squeezes moisture out of its fur.

The animal feeds on fish. On the Volga, she hunts carp and pike; she does this in channels with standing water and thickets of reeds. IN northern rivers its food is grayling that lives on the rifts. In the Murmansk rivers, the subject of her hunt is trout and cod, and on Kola Peninsula predator catches trout and pike. But at the same time, its preference is still small fish, so in spawning areas it happily eats fry.

The otter is not a pair animal. As a rule, she mates in early spring, always in the water. The female carries her cubs along with the latent period for about two hundred and seventy days, but the gestation itself lasts two months. As a rule, otter cubs are born from two to four. They are born blind. Individuals are considered sexually mature when they are approximately two years old.

Otter – valuable fur. Restrictions on otter hunting.

This animal has not only beautiful, but also very durable fur, the durability of which is one hundred percent important. When processing fur, coarse hairs are plucked out, leaving a thick down. The fur of the otter, which lives in Alaska, is considered the most valuable. Otter fur coats can withstand about thirty seasons of wear, especially the fur of sea otters.

However, due to uncontrolled hunting of these animals and wide application pesticides in agriculture, the population has declined significantly. In the year 2000, the otter was listed as a vulnerable animal species by the World Conservation Union. And in the Sverdlovsk region it was listed in the Red Book.

Otter hunting with a trap.

You can hunt an otter different ways, but, most often, hunters use traps. It happens that an animal accidentally falls into a trap set for a beaver, since their paths and hunting grounds are the same. Setting a trap specifically for an otter is quite difficult and few people know how to do it correctly.

Trace traps

To begin with, at the beginning of autumn, you should reconnoiter the area near water bodies and determine whether there are otters there. Most often, the otter can be found near beaver dam crossings, under cliffs, or near pools. On the wet soil of the shore, five-toed otter tracks are clearly visible and easily distinguishable. And also in feeding areas near dams, where there are a lot of fish, you can see their droppings.

This is where traps need to be set. Traps No. 3 and No. 5, which have a sim or plate alert, are well suited. Of course, the first one is better, since it is more sensitive to pressure. This trap is triggered immediately as soon as the animal’s paw steps on the plane, and a reliable capture occurs. Do not forget that the trap you set must be verified. After purchasing a trap, carefully remove the grease from it and treat it as follows: put dry grass and leaves in a bucket, place the trap there and pour boiling water over it. Then there will be no foreign odors left.

Traps on a floating log.

Such a trap can be installed like this: firmly install two stakes downstream into the bottom of the reservoir, so that the distance between them is 3-4 meters. Attach a piece of log or board, about a meter long, at least thirty centimeters wide, to the stakes using wire, so that the log is between them. A trap is placed on a log or board. To do this, a recess is made corresponding to the size of the trap. You should also take care to camouflage the trap, for example, with dry algae or whatever you find on the shore.

To prevent an animal caught in a trap from leaving with it, it must be firmly secured with a chain or thick wire to a bracket, which must first be hammered into a log. To a peg located upstream, tie a piece of butter, wrapped in clean gauze. The otter will smell the oil from afar and will begin to search for an object emitting this aroma. She will swim to the log and climb onto it, immediately falling into a trap. If she manages to jump into the water with the trap, she will die.

Traps in the otter's closet

This is one of the most prey types of otter hunting. To use it you need to know interesting feature This animal - in its habitat, the otter sets up unique “latrines” in several places, which it visits daily. So, traps should be placed on the paths, on the way to the “latrines”. The trap must have a long chain - a leash or a strong wire, with which it is attached to a heavy stone or peg. The length of the leash should not allow the animal to drag the trap into the water.

Don't forget about camouflage. In this case, sand works well. It is better to use frame traps with a mesh made of coarse threads or strong fishing line. It should be remembered that the otter is a strong animal with fairly muscular legs. Therefore, to hunt it, you need traps that are durable and have a powerful spring.

Before installing a trap near the “latrine”, do not forget that you need to remove the factory grease from it or, if it is old, remove the rust. Heat its surface and rub it with wax, which will not only prevent rust from appearing, but will also eliminate odors that may alert the animal. This type of otter hunting can only be used from the beginning of the hunting season until ice appears on the water.

Trap with fish bait

This type of hunting is especially successful in winter fishing, during the period when the otter moves along the river under thick ice. The trap should be installed in the hole. IN winter period The otter leads a particularly secretive lifestyle, and finding its habitat is not easy. When there is a lot of snow, the animal rarely approaches the surface, making its way under the ice layer from one between ice holes. If the otter is lucky and finds a wormwood with an abundance of fish, it may well remain there for several days. At the same time, the animal may not come to the surface, devouring prey directly in the hole.

In winter, the otter can be found by the holes it makes in the snow. Carefully making its way under the ice, the animal comes to the surface, breaking through the snow with its strong body. Sticking its head out of the snow, the otter looks around and then sinks back under the ice. After this, a hole remains in the snow - an outlet, round in shape, with a diameter of about twelve centimeters. In places where there are vents, it is worth carefully inspecting the holes. If you notice otter droppings, fish or frog bones, or prints of webbed feet, this is where you should set the trap. Even if the animal has already left this place, it will definitely return to it in a few days.

For this type of hunting, both frame and plate traps with teeth on arches No. 3 and No. 5 are suitable. The trap is placed in the water, at a depth of thirty centimeters to the bottom. For bait, you should take only fresh fish, for example, small burbot - the most favorite food of otters. The fish in the frame trap is attached, passed through its abdomen, with a strong thread to the tailor, or the thread with the fish is simply tied to the frame and guard of the trap.

In plate traps, the bait is attached to the plate so that the fish's head is directed against the current. In this case, it looks like a living fish that stands still, moving its tail and fins. You can also use frogs for bait if you prepare them in the fall. The animal, seeing the bait, makes a swift dash towards it and falls headlong into the trap.

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Otters are predatory animals of the mustelid family that lead an aquatic lifestyle. There are 17 species of otters in nature. Closely related to these animals are sea otters, which are sometimes called sea otters.

Eastern clawless otter (Aonyx cinerea).

In general, otters are not very good large animals: the body length of most species does not exceed 1 m, and the weight is 10-12 kg. The exception is the giant otter from South America, whose body length can reach up to 1.5 m and weight up to 30 kg! Otters have the appearance characteristic of all mustelids: a very elongated, flexible body, short legs with tenacious claws, a short neck and a flattened head with small ears. Their tail is also long and muscular. Otters have small but sharp teeth. Distinctive feature These animals have webbed feet. The fur of all types of otters is very short and extremely dense. This type of fur does not allow water to pass through and is highly valued. All species of otters are brown in color with a lighter throat and belly.

Otters live on all continents except Australia. These animals are very closely associated with water and settle along the banks of rivers with gentle currents. However, the cat otter from South America prefers sea coasts, and the African Congo otter settles in mountain rivers with rapid current. Most often, otters live in burrows, sometimes they occupy caves near the water or make a den in reed thickets. All otters live alone except short period when the female raises her young. Only giant otters form permanent family groups of 10-15 individuals. Otters occupy permanent areas, which they mark and protect from intrusion by neighbors. In the event of a lack of food, otters can wander; for example, an ordinary otter can walk 10-15 km per day in winter, which is a lot for an animal with such short legs.

Otter jumping into the water.

All species of otters feed primarily on fish, sometimes supplementing it with crustaceans, mollusks, bird eggs or terrestrial rodents. These animals are quite voracious and spend a lot of time searching for food. In water, otters are unusually agile: they swim quickly, dive deeply and can hold their breath for several minutes. Underwater, these animals move like loaches, bending their bodies, tumbling and capsizing. Not a single fish can resist the dexterity of otters! Otters are such successful hunters that when they are full, they often catch fish for play - they either release them or catch them again.

An otter eats its prey.

Due to the lack of fish, otters love to tumble in the river and generally spend a lot of time in the water, even cleaning themselves there. Otters devote a lot of time to their toilet, because its heat-conducting properties depend on the cleanliness of their fur. Otters temperate zone They are not afraid of frost and even at low temperatures they dive into water.

An otter on the ice of a river eats a caught shellfish.

Otters breed once a year, usually the breeding season is in the spring (in northern species) or the beginning of the rainy season (among African otters).

A pair of otters.

An interesting phenomenon is observed in the common and other temperate otters: after fertilization, the development of the embryo stops (this is called the latent, that is, hidden phase), and then continues again.

Baby otter.

The duration of the latent period can reach up to 270 days! Thus, the female can bring offspring both in January and April of the next year. There are 2-4 cubs in a brood. They are born blind and helpless, and only gain sight after a month. The young stay with their mother for a long time, mastering the difficult art of water hunting.

Depending on the area where a particular type of otter lives, its enemies may be wolves, crocodiles, jaguars or predator birds, which can catch an otter moving away from the river. But the main enemy of otters is hunger. A dexterous otter can catch any fish, but is helpless in the absence of it. Therefore, these animals are found only in remote and untouched corners of nature, where the proximity of people and water pollution do not undermine fish stocks. In general, otters have suffered greatly at the hands of humans. The otter's unique fur, which is considered the most durable (long-lasting) fur in the world, has made these animals the object of insatiable hunting. In many places, the populations of this animal have been undermined by fishing, and some species of otters are on the verge of extinction. The situation is aggravated by the fact that, due to the specifics of their biology, otters cannot be bred in captivity on an industrial scale (like minks, for example), although these animals are very smart and easily tamed. Only widespread protection can save these wonderful animals.