Identification guide 02 species
Both belong to the weasel family and both delight aquarium visitors, but the sea otter and the small-clawed otter are easy to tell apart once you notice where and how they live.
3 steps
Floating on its back at the surface: Sea Otter. Scurrying around on land or in the shallows, moving in a group: Asian Small-clawed Otter.
The Sea Otter is big — over 1 m long and around 30 kg. The Asian Small-clawed Otter is small — under 1 m and just a few kilograms — with a long, slender, weasel-like build.
The Sea Otter has a round face and is skilled at cracking shellfish open with a stone. Its hind feet are flipper-like. The Asian Small-clawed Otter, as the name says, has small claws and grabs food with nimble front paws.
1 species
Sea Otter
Identification specimen sea-otter
Enhydra lutrisEN— Endangered
1 species
Asian Small-clawed Otter
Identification specimen small-clawed-otter
Aonyx cinereusVU— Vulnerable
1 pairs
Habitat, size, and posture tell them apart at a glance.
| Feature | Sea Otter | Asian Small-clawed Otter |
|---|---|---|
| Habitat | Spends its whole life at sea | Moves in groups along riverbanks and on land |
| Size | Over 1 m long, around 30 kg | Under 1 m, a few kilograms (weasel-like build) |
| Specialty | Floats on its back and cracks shellfish with a stone | Grabs food with nimble front paws |
| Hind feet | Flipper-like | Small claws |
Guide sources: ja.wikipedia.org ja.wikipedia.org / Photos: see the Commons credit links beside each image.
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