Scientific name: Lutra
lutra
It
is a species that can be found in all the drainage basins of the
country. The body is long and winding and the tail is used for moving
forward and steering. Its fingers are united by a membrane which is
helpul for swimming. Although they are good swimmers, the can reach
29 km/h on dryland.
Their
lairs are sometimes ‘furnished’ with multiple rooms dug, at most,
at a 500 m-distance from the waterbanks.
These
animals mark their territory by using their anal glands, the males
having a much larger territory than the females.
Otters
are animals that are usually active during the day, but some of them
exercise a nocturnal lifestyle. Their food is procured from the
water. Otters feed on fish, frogs, crustaceans and other aquatic
invertebrates, the daily necessary quantity of food for an otter
varying between 15 and 25% of the body mass of the animal. The
necessary food quantity is also influenced by the season. Most otters
hunt between 3 and 5 hours a day. Males live a solitary life, looking
for a mate only during the mating season, while females take care of
the cubs.
Otters
prefer the wooded banks of mountain lakes, ponds, rivers and any
water sources, from lowlands to mountains and even the coastal areas
next to the Danube Delta.
Where can be found:
Cheile
Turenilor (SiteCode ROSCI0034)
Igniș
(SiteCode ROSCI0092)
Munții
Trascăului ( SiteCode ROSPA0087)
Valea
Izei si Dealul Solovan (SiteCode ROSCI0264)