What is your favorite species of otter?

Possibly Giant Otter because they are impressive and I never saw one until a few years ago.

But my overall favourite is probably our own wild European Otter. Which we so rarely see in zoos (because they don't show well in daytime) or in the wild for the same reason, unless you go to Scotland where they are far more visible.
 
Otters are my favourite animals so it's a very tough choice. I've only seen Asian Small Clawed Otters (at Melbourne Zoo).

If I had to choose it based solely on appearance the Spot Necked Otter is my favourite, those brown spots are just adorable. The runner up here is the Eurasian Otter.

Behaviorally, it's a draw between the Asian Small Clawed Otter and the Sea Otter, they are just both so smart and curious in their own way.

The most interesting otter, (most unique) is the Marine Otter, it baffles me how this species is so little known despite it's unusual habits of an otter, most otters are riverine, the Sea Otter is Pelagic but the Marine otter prefers coastlines.
 
Yoshistar888 said:
The most interesting otter, (most unique) is the Marine Otter, it baffles me how this species is so little known despite it's unusual habits of an otter, most otters are riverine, the Sea Otter is Pelagic but the Marine otter prefers coastlines.
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This. Also, they are super tiny apparently, comparable to asian small-claweds!
 
I would say sea otters, I remember seeing them in Blijdorp once and I absolutely loved them!
However I do like giant otters aswell, sadly I have never seen them in person yet..
 
TinoPup said:
For all of the fans of the imposing giant otter, I present you a photo of a sleeping, snoring giant with his tongue sticking out.

View attachment 456926

I also have a video of him getting the hiccups while asleep.
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This picture is great, even the biggest, "scariest" of the otters is charming :D

Echoing some folks here, it's a tie between giant otters and sea otters for me, though sea otters might edge them out a bit. People like to play "gotcha!" whenever they come up, referencing the behavior of males towards seal pups and such, but hot damn they're adorable and their marine lifestyles are fascinating. They're so valuable as a keystone species, and seeing active wild ones in kelp beds near Monterey has been a treat.
 
Otters are my favorite animals.

My favorite is the North American River Otter. It was the Sea Otter for a bit and then the Asian Small-Clawed Otter for a bit as well, but I eventually decided I like the North American River Otter the best.

They are very common in facilities in the US and Canada, and I have seen a few in the wild (though many of my sightings were far, dark, and fleeting due to their crepuscular nature). The National Zoo in DC has them as well as the Asian Small-Clawed Otters. I'm now in Worcester, and can find North American River Otters at the Ecotarium (which is temporarily closed), as well as a few other places within a day trip (Capron Park, Stone Zoo, RWP).

Sea Otters are my second favorite, as they were the first species I saw in the wild on an Alaska trip in 2018. Asian Small-Clawed Otters are my third favorite.

I also asked an otter fan Facebook group which species was everyone's favorite, and the Asian Small-Clawed Otters won the most votes (followed by Sea Otters and North American River Otters in third).
 
I just decided to revive this old thread of mine, because it came to me that until now, I never really considered telling you all about what is my favorite species of otter. But if I were to choose based upon personal experience, then my favorite species would probably have to be the Asian Small-Clawed Otter. Mainly for their always amusing play behavior, their capability of being successfully mixed with other species, (mainly babirusa and unspecified fish from what I have seen) along with the fact that I had the chance to witness an otter feeding demonstration at my local zoo two or three years back, just makes everything about these little, semi-aquatic mustelids all that more enjoyable. With the Giant Otters, (shall we revive the conservation about the Doom Otter anyone), Sea Otters, and NA River Otters each falling to land at a close second, third, and fourth respectively.
 
Probably Spotted-Necked Otter due to their unique neck markings. It also is fun surprising people that there are otters in Africa as the general public has not heard of this species.
 
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