Neotropical River Otter in Tortuguero, 15/04/14

Lontra longicaudis

We had wonderful views of three individuals - most of the photos are not great as they were very fast and hanging out in a very shady canalside that my camera didn\'t quite know how to deal with in the heat of the moment - hence the eyeshine!

What is your worldwide wild otter species count up to now?

At the risk of making a predictable reply, two! Our native European (and that not for some years) and these little beauties.

I've actually only seen one more mustelid species than procyonid, and I'm only on 13 Carnivorans all-in (and only one of those is a feliform - must do something about that!).

Maguari said:

At the risk of making a predictable reply, two! Our native European (and that not for some years) and these little beauties.

I've actually only seen one more mustelid species than procyonid, and I'm only on 13 Carnivorans all-in (and only one of those is a feliform - must do something about that!).

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Didn't you see wild sea otters when you were in California? I may be remembering that wrong.

DavidBrown said:

Didn't you see wild sea otters when you were in California? I may be remembering that wrong.

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Nope - mammal species seen and ID'd in the wild on that trip were:

Black-tailed Jackrabbit
Coyote
California Sea Lion
Mule Deer
Pronghorn
Eastern Fox Squirrel (introduced)
California Ground Squirrel


Plus some chipmunks I never managed to work out! I was only 14 at the time - doing a similar trip now I'd hopefully see (and ID) more than that. But for now California and (having not long ago been to Florida) the USA in general are (sadly!) quite a way down The List. And as the Vietnam-Florida-Costa Rica-Ethiopia-in-fairly-quick-succession phenomenon is down to a very particular set of mostly-unrelated circumstances it may be a while before I get back. Were money no object, my next target post-Ethiopia would probably be Australia (which wouldn't help much with the otters or feliforms!) - but we'll see what happens!

After promising so much, I was rather disappointed when during my recent visit to California I only saw a sole Sea Lion by the Hermosa Beach pier. Hopefully next time I will be going on a whale and dolphin site seeing tour off the coast and hopefully I will have more luck then!

Great photos as ever Marguari!