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Otter

Page history last edited by PBworks 16 years, 6 months ago
The European Otter (Lutra lutra) is a member of the Mustelid family which includes badgers, polecats, martens, weasels, stoats and mink and it is the only member of this family that is native to the Western Isles. On the estate, otters are regularly sighted around the estate and often spend time feeding on the shores. They are well adapted to aquatic life with webbed feet, the ability to close their ears and nose underwater. They also have two different types of fur; stout, waterproof guard hairs and a dense, fine underfur which provides insulation, when the otters coat is wet, the long guard hairs stick together giving a spiky look whilst the dense undercoat remains dry. They can see well underwater, but if it is murky their whiskers (vibrasae) help to detect prey by picking up vibrations.
 
 
 
 
It's diet consists mainly of fish, in freshwater habitats they will eat eels, sticklebacks and other slow-moving species, in coastal areas they will eat a wide range of shore - dwelling species. Otters are well adapted for seizing, holding and biting their prey with powerful jaw muscles and strong sharp teeth.Its not only the abundance of a particular food source that is important but also how easy it is to catch. Slow moving coarse fish are easier to catch than trout or salmon. 
 
 
 
Although they spend a lot of time by the coast they also need access to freshwater as it is used to wash salt out of their fur and maintain its waterproofing quality, otherwise they might die of the cold.
 
 
 
Click here to see a photo of an Otter on the estate
 
 
Otter Folklore
 
A scottish name for the Otter is the 'drastie' and in scottish tradition there were tales of 'Otter Kings' who were accompanied by seven black otters. When captured, these beasts would grant any wish in exchange for freedom. But their skins were also prized for their ability to render a warrior invincible, and were thought to provide protection against drowning. Luckily the Otter Kings were hard to kill, their only vulnerable point being a small point below their chin.
 
In Norse mythology, the michievous god Loki killed the dwarf Otr while the latter was in the form of an Otter. The dwarves were furious, and demanded compensation from the gods who gave them otter skin filled with gold.
 
 

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