Huge otter fossil, millions of years old, discovered in China

The fossil of an otter as big as a wolf has been discovered by scientists in south-west China.

It's thought it roamed around the warm, humid wetlands more than six million years ago.

Named Siamogale melilutra, the huge otter would have weighed around 110lb (50kg) and been up to two metres in length.

That's far bigger than even the largest otters alive today, researchers said.

The South American giant river otter for example weighs up to about 70lb (32 kg).

"Siamogale melilutra reminds us, I think, of the diversity of life in the past and how many more questions there are still to answer," said Denise Su, Cleveland Museum of Natural History curator of paleobotany and paleoecology.

"Who would have imagined a wolf-size otter?"

The earliest known otter lived about 18 million years ago.

Fossils are rare and scattered across the globe, making the study of otter evolution more challenging.

This fossil suggests the otter would have had strong jaws an enlarged cheek teeth.

Who would have imagined a wolf-size otter?
 

"I think it used its powerful jaws to crush hard clams for food, somewhat like modern sea otters, although the latter use stone tools to smash shells," said Xiaoming Wang, head of vertebrate paleontology at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.

"If Siamogale melilutra was not smart enough to figure out tools, perhaps the only option left was to develop more powerful jaws by increasing body size."

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Pictures: Otter spotted on the River Taw

By NDJJoe | Posted: January 18, 2016

The otter has been an unofficial symbol for North Devon ever since the book Tarka The Otter was published in 1927

VIEW GALLERY

An otter has been spotted on the River Taw near Barnstaple reminding residents that this is Tarka The Otter country.

Journal photographer Rob Tibbles was out taking pictures of the river early on Saturday morning when he spotted the river dwelling mammal.

"After days of non-stop rain, I thought I'd take advantage of the early morning light and went out to explore the lower reaches of the Taw," said Rob.

"I was shooting wide angle landscapes when a friend said they'd seen an otter.

"I quickly changed lenses and tried to follow the trail of bubbles as it swam along the bank. I lost it for a while and almost gave up but then I spotted movement in the deep shadow of an overhang of an old wall.

"It was tricky to shoot as it was in such a dark spot. I managed to get a few shots

Read on and pictures ....

'Crying' otter cub found on doorstep now safe and sound

A 'crying' baby otter found on a doorstep in Scotland is now safe and being cared for by an animal rescue centre

By Helena Horton

4:16PM GMT 11 Dec 2015

An otter found "crying" on a doorstep is now being looked after by an animal charity.

The Scottish SPCA believe that it was left alone because it was separated from the mother during bad weather in the region last weekend.

Photo: Scottish SPCA

The cub was found crying and mewling at the back door of a house in Kirkcudbright on Monday morning.

Although malnourished and underweight, the cub is improving steadily on a diet of milk and fish.

The rescue center staff have become quite taken with the cub, who they have named "Buddy".

The charity is now looking after 15 motherless cubs at the national wildlife rescue centre in Fishcross, Clackmannanshire.

Centre manager Colin Seddon said it has been their busiest ever year for otter cubs.

He added: "Buddy will be introduced to our three youngest cubs, Ebb, Tide and Wave, who were also found without their mothers.

"They will stay with us for around a year until they are old enough to fend for themselves back in the wild."

It's dangerous weather for baby animals at the moment, with floods and heavy rain making them susceptable to being separated from their mothers.

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Orphaned otter cub found in Methven rescued by charity

11 February 2015 Last updated at 12:44

A poorly otter cub found orphaned in Perthshire is recovering in the care of the Scottish SPCA.

The charity was alerted after the eight-week-old cub was found in Methven on 4 February.

Bosses said it was "amazing" the young female had survived a night out of her holt in the cold.

The cub, which SSPCA staff have named Dipper, will remain in their care until it is at least a year old before being returned to the wild.

Colin Seddon, the manager at the charity's National Wildlife Rescue Centre in Clackmannanshire, said Dipper was on the road to a full recovery.

He said: "The gentleman who called us had noticed Dipper the night before but rightly left her alone to give her mum a chance to return.

"However, when he checked again the next morning she was still there distressed and calling out.

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Otter Goes On Rampage At Fast Food Restaurant In Norway

Posted: 03/17/2014 9:24 am EDT Updated: 03/17/2014 5:59 pm EDT

The patrons of Skippy's Fast Food in Alesund, Norway, were terrorized last week by a wounded otter that made its way into the establishment, the Independent reported.

"We did not know what kind of animal it was. I have never seen an animal like that in my life," owner Mohamed Rashed told TV2. "I was terrified it was going to attack."

Officials believe that the otter, which was suffering from a gash on its leg and wounds on its face, was injured by a boat propellor before making its way into the restaurant.

Witnesses said the otter was breathing heavily, and customers were so afraid that they fled from the business.

Wildlife officials were called to the scene, and officer Hakan Sunde was bitten on the finger by the marine mammal.

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Otter killed in illegal eel trap on Anglesey

Illegal trap appeal after otter found dead

October 2013. Natural Resources Wales officers are appealing for help to catch a poacher after an otter was found dead in an illegal trap placed on the River Cefni in Llangefni on Anglesey. The otter - a protected species under European law - was discovered by a passer-by in an unlicensed eel trap which had been discarded on the riverbank.

Natural Resources Wales environmental crime officers, working with North Wales Police, are urging anyone who saw anything suspicious in the area to report it confidentially by calling 0800 807060.

Drowned

Officers believe the fully grown otter became entangled in the net and drowned as it entered the trap in search of food.

Eryl Lloyd of Natural Resources Wales said, "This unlicensed trap was illegally placed and there was no guard in place to prevent the otter from getting inside.

"Apart from the callousness of then dumping the trap beside the river, we're keen to trace the perpetrator as this kind of illegal activity has an impact on fish stocks and has a serious effect on wildlife and the local economy."

Otters are an indicator of good water quality with their numbers on the increase in Welsh rivers.

Poaching carries a fine of up to £5,000 and / or six months imprisonment.

http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/otter-trap.html

Otter spotted at new Somerset wetlands

Steart Wetlands to be the largest new wetland reserve in the UK

September 2013. An elusive otter has been caught on camera at Steart in Somerset, where the largest new wetland nature reserve in the UK is being developed by the Environment Agency and the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust.

WWT Project Manager Tim McGrath worked with local residents to set the camera trap that took the photo after seeing otter prints in the soft mud on the banks of the stream. Local residents have also built an artificial otter holt [den] on the site, which is visible in the left of the photo.

Largest new wetland in the UK

Tim McGrath said: "Steart Marshes will be the largest new wetland in the UK, so it's going to be absolute heaven for otters, which are surely one of the UK's most exciting wetland mammals. It's fantastic to have confirmation that they're out there. Without using camera traps, it's hard to know this how they're using an area because they spend much of their time alone, only coming out at night and largely keeping to the water."

Eurasian otters declined sharply due to pesticide use in the UK between the 1950s and 70s and the disappeared from most of England. Since those chemicals were withdrawn from use, they have started to spread out across rivers and wetlands and increased in numbers.

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Otter causes chaos in Tulla in County Clare

19 April 2011

An unlikely water-dweller has been making waves in a County Clare town.

A wayward otter turned on its would-be rescuers in Tulla on Monday as it was found wandering up the town's main street.

Farmer Joe Burke and shop owner Mike Hogan first noticed the animal as it passed by on the footpath outside Mr Hogan's window.

Concerned for its safety, they decided to come to its aid. However, the otter clearly had other ideas.

As a large crowd gathered, the otter became "very aggressive" and started trying to bite people.

Mr Burke was rewarded for his efforts with a nasty cut.

Tayto crisps

Eventually, the two men managed to corner the ungrateful creature in a courtyard. They planned to wait for professionals to come and take it to safety.

However, as Mr Burke explained: "He then put his head into a Tayto bag. It was wrapped tightly around his head.

"He couldn't see where he was going, he was bumping into walls and everything."

Fearing for the otter's life, Mr Burke decided to take on the rescue himself.

He took a thick bag used for holding animal feed, and after a minor struggle, managed to capture the animal.

The two men loaded their charge into the back of Mr Burke's jeep, and made their way to a local lake with the intention of releasing the otter back into its natural habitat.

But again the otter was refusing to go quietly.

"He chewed his way out of the bag," said Mr Hogan. "The back window was missing on the jeep so he jumped out when we stopped."

Traffic cone

The resourceful animal then made a dash for freedom half a mile back towards Tulla, before Mr Burke was able to catch it under a traffic cone.

The men slid a piece of plywood under the cone and carried it back to the lake, where they let the otter back into the water.

However, again the drama continued. The animal was so exhausted from its efforts that it began to sink.

"We pulled him towards the reeds and sort of propped him up," said Mr Hogan.

"After 10 or 15 minutes he got his breath back again and swam off."

A dramatic day indeed. The residents of Tulla may never see an otter one like it.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-13126139

Wildwood to create wetland wildlife discovery centre to help otters in Kent

Wildwood is celebrating a generous donation of £21,000 towards a new wetland wildlife discovery centre at the park.

The funds have been donated by the W.G. Harvey Discretionary Trust, a charitable trust dedicated to the prevention of cruelty to animals and the preservation of wild animal and bird life.

The donation will help the Wildwood Trust create a new area at the park which will be centred around a new otter enclosure, with a water shrew enclosure, water vole viewing area and simple aquariums for British aquatic creatures. The area will be used to educate our 100,000 plus visitors a year about the animals that live in British wetland habitats, to help protect them in the wild and encourage their re-population of our rivers.

It has been much published in recent months that whilst otter numbers have bounced back across many areas of the UK, they are still to make a recovery in Kent. A recent survey by The Environment Agency has revealed that otters are now found everywhere except Kent.

As a conservation charity, Wildwood is dedicated to the study of threatened British Wildlife and promoting awareness and education through allowing people to see our native animals in as natural habitat as possible.

Visitors will be able to view into the otter holt and the nest areas of the water shrew and water vole, and see the animals swimming in a near natural enclosure.

The otter enclosure will be the central feature, and will have a hospital area to keep otters separate should they need vet treatment, or when new otters arrive at Wildwood. The main enclosure will have a filtered pond and a large otter den, all constructed in natural woodland. The otter den will have special chambers with one-way glass, to assist behavioural studies without disturbing the otters, aiding research and giving our visitors the chance to see and learn about these beautiful and elusive creatures.

Peter Smith, Chief Executive of Wildwood said “We are extremely pleased to receive these vital funds that will allow us to highlight the plight of the otter and help us in our campaign to make our rivers a safe place that will once again harbour our wetland wildlife.”

Otter Facts

Eurasian Otter - Lutra lutra

The Eurasian otter is one of Britain’s largest remaining carnivores. Once common on waterways all over the British Isles, they are now rare in England and Wales, although they are still a common sight in some areas of Scotland.

There are many species of otter around the world but in Britain we have only one species. Some British otters live on the coast and hunt in the sea whilst others live inland and hunt in rivers, but they are both Eurasian otters.

Did you know? Otters...

Can close off their noses and ears when they go underwater so that they don’t get water up their nose or in their ears!

Have a special name for their droppings - they are called spraints.

Can hold their breath for up to 4 minutes underwater if they have to but don’t often hold it for more than 10 seconds.

Are related to badgers, weasels, stoats, pine martens and polecats.

Life in the Water

Otters live in a wide range of aquatic habitats, from moorland streams, lakes and ponds to large rivers, estuaries and sea coasts. They feed mainly on fish, which makes up 70 - 95% of their diet. They also eat shellfish, eels, newts, frogs, birds and small mammals.

Male otters generally have larger territories than females and may overlap with several females, mating with all of them. Otters communicate with one another by leaving spraints (otter poo) on rocks, grass tussocks and fallen trees throughout their

territory. Otters have a streamlined shape, a thick tail which helps them to steer in the water and webbed feet for paddling. Their fur is very thick, with a layer of underfur to keep them warm and waterproof guard hairs so that the underfur stays dry. Otters were once hunted for their fur and people believed that a coat of otterskin would keep you from drowning. People were also once undecided about whether the otter was a mammal or a fish because it was so at home in the water. Some even believed that it was a magical animal that behaved as a fish in the water and grew legs when it came out!

Otter families

Otters are usually solitary animals in the wild, with males and females occupying separate territories. Otters do not mate for life and a male otter will probably mate with all the females whose territories overlap with his. Unlike most animals, otters have no set breeding season and can mate at any time of the year. This means that kits can be born all year round, although spring and early summer are the most common, due to the plentiful food available. The kits will remain with their mother until they are almost a year old, as it takes a long time for them to learn how to hunt efficiently. The kits will then disperse, the males usually travelling further to find territories of their own.