2 months old

Baby otters are taken into the water by their mothers at around two months old to learn how to swim. They are scared at first, but they soon become good swimmers. Because otters catch and eat their food underwater, mother otters make sure to teach them to swim well.

There are strict regulations, and as a rule, transactions are prohibited.

The Asian small-clawed otter is designated as an endangered species, and under the Washington Convention (CITES) and Japan’s Species Conservation Act, trade and import within Japan are, in principle, strictly regulated and prohibited. If an individual is found to have engaged in illegal transfer, capture, or import/export, they may face up to five years’ imprisonment or a fine of up to 5 million yen.

the last Wednesday of May

World Otter Day is observed on the last Wednesday of May each year, featuring awareness activities to protect these adorable animals. It was proposed by the International Otter Survival Fund with the aim of promoting otter conservation and understanding.

Otter

In English, a カワウソ is called an “otter.” The word otter comes from Middle English oter and Old English otr, and it is said to refer to animals that live in water, especially those adapted to life underwater. By the way, “seal” refers to sea lions and true seals, and “beaver” refers to beavers.

about two months

The gestation period for otters is about two months (around 60 days). It varies slightly by species, but many otters give birth after roughly two months. They typically have about 1 to 6 pups at a time. Otter breeding can be observed year-round, and some individuals are known to give birth twice a year.

Crack the shell using a stone

Otters sometimes use tools such as stones to crack the hard shells of crustaceans and extract the contents to eat. They have also been observed skillfully using both hands to break the shells of crabs and shellfish to eat what's inside, and they are known as very intelligent animals.

night

Otters are nocturnal animals and are most active before sunrise and after sunset during the night. They often search for prey or play by the water. During the day, they are often said to sleep in burrows or at the bases of trees.