Otters: Life Where Land Meets Water
Otters are semiaquatic mammals, but they do not all live or hunt in the same way. World Otter Day is observed on the last Wednesday in May. The date is a chance to compare otters while naming the species being described.
A North American river otter spends much of its time in freshwater and has webbed feet, dense fur, and nostrils that can close underwater. These features help it swim and stay warm. River otters eat animals such as fish and crayfish. Their range covers much of Canada and the United States, although they are missing from some dry regions.
A sea otter lives in the ocean rather than a river. Unlike many marine mammals, it does not rely on a thick layer of blubber to stay warm; its dense fur traps insulating air. Sea otters float on their backs to eat, and they may use a rock to open a hard-shelled meal such as a clam. These traits belong to sea otters, not every otter species.
Otters can be affected by habitat loss, pollution, and other pressures, but the risks differ by species and region. In California, southern sea otters have a limited range and are protected as a threatened population. The species profile for one otter cannot tell us the status of all otters around the world.
- semiaquatic:
- Living partly on land and partly in water.
- freshwater:
- Water that is not salty, found in lakes, ponds, and rivers.
- blubber:
- A thick layer of insulating fat beneath the skin of some marine animals.
- insulating:
- Trapping heat to keep the body warm.
- habitat:
- The natural environment where a plant or animal lives and grows.
- conservation:
- The care and protection of natural resources and wild animals.
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Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 1What main physical features help a North American river otter swim and stay warm in freshwater?
- 2How does a sea otter maintain body warmth without a thick layer of blubber?
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About this explanatory article passage for Upper Elementary
“Otters: Life Where Land Meets Water” is a explanatory article reading passage about Otter Adaptations and Conservation, written for Upper Elementary. It takes about 2 minutes to read (264 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.