mustelidae
carnivora
Mammalia
From 60 to 86 days.
From 2 to 7.
Crabs, clams, snails, frogs, fish, snakes and insects.
From 20 to 23 years old
Their hands are partially membranous, and their fingers are short and have vestigial nails. They lack claws. Their teeth are very powerful to be able to chew the hard shell of crustaceans. They usually place the clams in the sun so that they open and can be eaten comfortably.
They live in families of about 12 individuals, not very hierarchical, made up of a reproductive couple and several children from different generations. They can breed twice a year, and usually give birth to their young in hollow trunks or natural cavities. The little ones are born completely blind and take about 40 days to open their eyes. They learn to swim at 9 weeks of age.
The short-clawed otter is the smallest of all. It is also known as 'little otter' or 'ashy otter'. In Asia they are highly appreciated in rice fields as they rid the crops of annoying crabs, and in some regions they are even trained to catch fish.
