Spotted-Necked Otter
Hydrictis maculicollis
You Otter Wear Glasses
Did you know spotted-necked otters have great underwater vision? Their forward-facing eyes give them binocular vision, which allows them to see three dimensionally and locate and catch fish. On land, otters are nearsighted and have difficulty seeing objects in the distance.
You Otter Smell Good
Otters will spray feces or “spraint” along the shore to mark their territory. The spraint of a spotted-necked otter has a sweet smell. Their feces contains over 100 different scents, and scientists have identified around 17 that are thought to contain information about age and gender that other otters can recognize.
You Otter Look Good
Spotted-necked otters devote a lot of time to keeping their coat in pristine condition, as it serves an important function in keeping them warm. The dense fur traps a layer of air around the otter’s body, insulating it from chilly water temperatures. Grooming is also aided by rolling around and rubbing on rocks, logs and substrates.
Diet: fish, frogs, crabs, aquatic insects
Zoo Diet: formulated feed, specialized carnivore diet, fish, fruits
Habitat: lakes, swamps, rivers, streams
Weight: 8 – 13 lbs
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The Phoenix Zoo is one of the largest non-profit zoos in the U.S., caring for over 3,000 animals, with nearly 400 species represented, including many threatened/endangered species.
