The Caucasian otter is a predatory animal that looks like a marten or a mink. The animal has an elongated body, is an active hunter, belongs to the Mustelidae family. This subspecies is found in the Western Caucasus, it is found in the Kuban and in the regions of Kuma, near the sea coasts. Today, the Caucasian otter is listed in the Red Book of Russia.
In this article we will talk about this endangered species, about the animal's habits and habitat, about interesting facts related to these amazing animals.
Caucasian otter: description
This is a fairly large predator. With a tail, its body length is one hundred and twenty centimeters. Adults weigh from five to nine and a half kilograms. An elongated and relatively thin body, a short neck, ears that practically do not protrude from the fur with closing auditory canals, webbed fingers, short paws, a small head and a rather long tail, which tapers noticeably towards the end - everything in the body of this animal is adapted to life in water and on land.
The body is covered with dense, even and low hairline. The back of the animal is painted light brown, on the abdomen - lighter with a beautiful silvery sheen. Downy hairs are whitish at the base and brown at the ends. You have learned what a Caucasian otter looks like. It's time to get acquainted with the peculiarities of her behavior and habitat.
Distribution
The Caucasian otter is common in the aquatic ecosystems of the Transcaucasus, the North Caucasus, and in some regions of Asia Minor. Today, the beast is found in mountain rivers, at an altitude of up to 2500 meters above sea level, in artificial channels, steppe rivers, rice systems and ditches. Previously, the Caucasian otter inhabited almost all the rivers that flowed into the Black Sea.
The otter lives in the lower reaches of the Sulak and Terek rivers, in the floodplains of the Kuban and Rioni. It is seen in Abkhazia and Ciscaucasia, in the rivers that carry their waters to the Caspian Sea. There is a Caucasian otter in Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Food
In the diet of the Caucasian otter, fish makes up almost 80%. The animal feeds on frogs and crayfish, in rice systems it eats amphibians. Often attacks rodents and birds. Do not miss the opportunity to enjoy some types of plants. The Caucasian otter is a very fast predator. The way this otter hunts is interesting - often it catches fish almost by the tail, and it does it somehow lazily and gracefully, without any haste.
In the Kuban, an otter hunts a leisurely crucian carp, will not refuse a pike,easily catches up with nimble trout. But it is interesting that this aquatic hunter, under no circumstances, will catch the next fish until he has eaten the one he has caught.
Activity
The Caucasian otter is a rather secretive animal leading a nocturnal lifestyle, more precisely, twilight. Due to the fact that she lives on the banks of fresh water bodies, it is easy to guess that the animals build their holes in places hidden by water: in the roots of trees, under snags. Can settle in old muskrat burrows in rice systems, washouts in the banks.
Lifestyle
Caucasian otters are secretive animals, it is not easy to notice them. Animals are active at night. They are endowed with high sensitivity: hearing, smell and vision are reliable assistants in the most difficult situations. The otter has many temporary shelters, but there is always a permanent hole in which offspring are hatched.
Pregnancy lasts almost nine weeks. Babies are born completely helpless, blind, but grow rapidly and after two months they go hunting with their mother. Otters are very caring mothers. A case was recorded when a disturbed female rushed to the fishermen, protecting her offspring. And only after people left the place where the hole was located, the female returned to the cubs.
Caucasian otters are solitary animals. Pairs build only during the rut. During this period, pairs of animals are found even in the daytime. A brood averages four puppies. Young individuals stay together for about a year, after whichreturning to a solitary lifestyle.
Protected status
In Russia, the Caucasian otter is under state protection. These animals are included in the Red Books of the Kuban, Krasnodar Territory and the Russian Federation as a rare species, the number of which is declining. What caused the decrease in the population of these strong, dexterous, resourceful and hardy animals? The answer is quite obvious - changes in nature associated with human activities.
The mass deforestation, which led to changes in the balance of mountain rivers, strongly affected the number of these animals. Pollution from industrial enterprises caused the death of a huge number of fish, and aquatic predators were left with virtually no food. And, of course, the huge demand for animal fur played a negative role.
There are no exact figures for the number of Caucasian otters, since the animals can migrate. In the Krasnodar Territory, there are now about 260 individuals, most of which live in the Caucasian Reserve. But there are also optimistic forecasts. The reserves of the North Caucasus in the region of Tuapse, Greater Sochi, where clean and transparent mountain rivers flow, are gradually inhabited by the otter, where it is under human protection.
Interesting facts
- The otter is an easily tamed animal. This friendly animal is kept as a pet or used as a fish catcher in many countries.
- Otters have great memories. These animals remember their name, follow the owner like a cat or a dog and rememberhis whole life.
- There is an opinion that otters benefit the fish industry because they feed on non-commercial, weedy fish. This is probably due to the fact that defective or diseased fish are easier to catch.
- It is believed that the Caucasian otter is a loner, and does not live in families, like, for example, the North American otter. However, fishermen encounter entire families of otters near the Kuma River (Dagestan).
A few words in conclusion
At a distance from settlements, this subspecies still feels quite comfortable today, but even there, due to the expansion of the recreational zone in the North Caucasus, there is less and less space left for it. If certain territories are not separated for this animal today, if they are not taken into account when developing tourist areas, then several more populations may disappear forever. Moreover, the populations are poorly studied, as, for example, in Dagestan, where the otter hunts both in estuaries and in the sea water of the Caspian Sea.
