The young otters love playing and engage in play-fighting, swimming, playing with food and sliding on rocks, even fetching small pebbles tossed into the water as they sink to the bottom. It has crepuscular habits and can hunt in very murky water thanks to its long and sensitive whiskers. Their tail measures 465 mm to 515 mm long and is typically stout and tapered. It … They sometimes will eat ducks, geese, coots, swans, mollusks, dragonfly larvae, reptiles, shrews, and small birds. The third largest species in the world, the African clawless otter (Aonyx capensis) is highly versatile and can be found in unpolluted rivers, lakes, dams, swamps and marshes: wherever freshwater crabs, its main food, are present. It also forages in minor streams, sometimes … Such habits usually attract crocodiles. This and the fact that young are raised solely by the females may suggest that African clawless otters exhibit a polygynous mating system. Litters can number 1 to 3 pups, but up to 5 per litter have been known for animals in captivity. It is also called the Cape clawless otter or groot otter. The Cape clawless otter, also known as the African clawless otter, is one of two otter species to occur in South Africa. This species inhabits a wide variety of freshwater habitats, such as streams, rivers, lakes and estuaries, as well as marine habitats, including rocky seashores, as long as freshwater can be accessed, which is essential for washing and drinking. From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia The African clawless otter (Aonyx capensis) is a type of otter. During the day they sleep in burrows or dens. The absence of claws and the reduced webbing on its paws gives this species incredible dexterity. Straight after eating, an otter will clean its face with its forefeet. Their head and body length ranges from 762 mm to 880 mm. It may also be found in marine habitats, such as along rocky seashores if there is access to freshwater, which is essential for drinking and washing (1) (4). According to the MPALA LIVE resource, the total number of African clawless otters in South Africa is around 21,500 individuals. This species is most active at dawn and dusk (known as crepuscular). African clawless otters are the largest Old World otter species and 3rd largest species of otter overall. The Cape Clawless Otter has a brownish grey coat color that is also water resistant. The African clawless otter has large molars adapted to crushing crabs and lobsters, but will also prey on frogs, fish and insects. They are born altricial (in an undeveloped state and needing parental care) but after 16 to 30 days open their eyes and can leave their den. They are independent and reproductively mature from the age of 1 year. After bouts of hunting they may leave the water to dry off or to play. Their dense, short fur insulates their bodies when they are swimming, their webbed back feet provide them with power, and their strong tails act as rudders. Breeding occurs mostly during the dry season, though it may take place at any time of the year. The African clawless otter (Aonyx capensis) is a type of otter. Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. It is the largest type of otter that live in Africa. Coastal density is estimated at one per two km, and along rivers one per three to ten km. Although usually found in water, these otters can also travel long distances overland. This species is named for its webless front feet. They have a head that is larger than the other species of Otters which is a distinguishing characteristic when you see them in photos or books. Groups of 4 to 6, consisting of 2 to 3 adults with 2 to 3 young, are sometimes seen, and larger groups sometimes form to forage. They weigh between 10 and 22 kg. It has crepuscular habits and can hunt in very murky water thanks to its long and sensitive whiskers. They dive for fish, with dives lasting 6 to 49 seconds, with an average of 18 seconds per dive. Little is known about the mating system of African clawless otters. An African clawless otter does most of its hunting in water. Sometimes otters drown when they become tangled in fishing nets. These animals are acrobatic, curious and clever, and are perfectly adapted to the aquatic environment in which they live. 1. Absent from the arid western parts of the country. Their head and body length ranges from 762 mm to 880 mm. The African clawless otter has large molars adapted to crushing crabs and lobsters, but will also prey on frogs, fish and insects. The Cape clawless otter has an easterly distribution along the coastline and drainage systems of the higher rainfall regions of South Africa, but is nowhere common. [3], From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, "IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Aonyx capensis", https://simple.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=African_clawless_otter&oldid=7105174, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. The African clawless otter is Africa’s most widely distributed otter, from Senegal, through most parts of West Africa as far as Ethiopia, and in the south to South Africa. Development, deforestation, overgrazing, wetlands being drained, and water extraction all impact negatively on the quality of the aquatic habitat and surrounding vegetation on which these animals depend. They are well known for the luxurious hair that they have. The African clawless otter is an inhabitant of a wide range of freshwater habitats, including lakes, streams, rivers and estuaries (5). Individuals typically weigh 10-21 kilograms, with bodies 1.2 to 1.5 metres long covered in brown … The majority of their time awake is spent swimming, foraging, hunting, playing, and sunbathing. It is also called the Cape clawless otter or groot otter. African clawless otters dry and groom themselves by rolling in grass and rubbing themselves against rocks and soil and basking in the sun. An African clawless otter is a solitary animal. The second largest out of all freshwater species, the African clawless otter is well known for its luxurious hair, very silky in appearance and to the touch. African Clawless Otter Wikipedia article -, 2. An African clawless otter makes complex vocalizations, including grunts, low and high-pitched whistles, squeals, moans and mews, as well as “hah” sounds that are thought to express anxiety. African Clawless Otter on The IUCN Red List site -, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_clawless_otter, http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/1793/0. African clawless otters are found near permanent bodies of water in savannah and lowland forest areas. It is a freshwater and intertidal dweller of Africa. An African clawless otter is a solitary animal. The African Clawless Otter is the second largest of all freshwater species. The absence of claws and the reduced webbing on its paws gives this species incredible dexterity. Groups of 4 to 6, consisting of 2 to 3 adults with 2 to 3 young, are sometimes seen, and larger groups sometimes form to forage. As the name suggests, these Otters don’t have claws. In freshwater habitats, they eat primarily crabs, and they also eat insects, frogs, and various species of fish. It occurs in any large area of suitable habitat to the south of the Sahara, except the Congo Basin. However, that does not mean it is common in any part of its range and the breeding biology and wild behaviour is not well understood. 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