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Otters Trivia Questions and Answers

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Related Questions & Answers:   Mustelidae-Weasel Family   

1. Otters are members of which animal family?


Answer: Mustelidae

Interesting Information:
Otters are members of the same family as weasels, stoats, polecats, ferrets and badgers. They are collectively known as mustelids. Difficulty: Easy.

From Quiz: Otterific!
 
Some incorrect choices:
Otariidae, Felidae, Mephitidae

2. This first otter is native to Europe and Asia. They can be quite elusive and solitary. Its scientific name is Lutra lutra, but you know it better as the:


Answer: Eurasian otter

Interesting Information:
Eurasian otters are protected in Europe due to their once-declining numbers. Their muzzles are quite pointed compared to other species. It is said that otters are a very important indicator of the health of a river, so their presence is welcomed in many urban areas as a sign of the water quality improving. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: All Otter the World!
 
Some incorrect choices:
Hairy nosed otter, Asian short clawed otter, Sea otter

3. How many toes does a river otter have on each foot?


Answer: 5

Interesting Information:
Their feet are also webbed to ensure they are great swimmers. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: The North American River Otter

4. What important activity do river otter pups learn to do when they are around two months old?


Answer: swim

Interesting Information:
River otter pups are not born knowing how to swim. When they are about two months old, they are taught to swim by their mothers. The mother otter will grab the fur on the back of their necks with her mouth and drag them through the water. She will also teach them to dive by dragging them under the water, forcing them to stay down since they are naturally buoyant. The pups begin by doggy paddling as mom drags them, but they eventually learn to swim on their own and become faster. Difficulty: Easy.

From Quiz: An Otter Thing
 
Some incorrect choices:
hunt, bathe themselves, build a holt

5. In what area are otters *NOT* found?


Answer: They are found in all of these

Interesting Information:
As long as there is a plentiful food supply and nearby rivers, otters can survive anywhere, including desert valleys. Different species have adapted to diverse conditions e.g. sea otters live in salt water whereas other species that may swim in the sea still need access to fresh water. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: The Otter Limits
 
Some incorrect choices:
Arctic, Tropical, Desert

6. What is an adult male otter called?


Answer: A dog

Interesting Information:
A female is a bitch and babies are whelps, pups or kits. The otters can also be called a boar (male) and sow (female). Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: The Otter Limits
 
Some incorrect choices:
A buck, A kit, A boar

7. One of the most widespread species of otter is the eurasian otter which occurs across Europe, Asia and North Africa. What is its latin name?


Answer: Lutra lutra

Interesting Information:
The eurasian otter is the species that is native to Britain. Once relatively common the otter suffered through loss of habitat and pollution of the rivers. Thanks to environmental policies and a management plan it is now making a comeback across large parts of the British Isles. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Otterific!
 
Some incorrect choices:
Lontra felina, Hydrictis maculicollis, Pteronura brasiliensis

8. Also known as the river wolf (lobo de rio) in their homeland, this otter species has the shortest hair, but are the noisiest of all otters. What is this South American denizen's common name?


Answer: giant otter

Interesting Information:
The giant otter is also sometimes referred to as the water dog (perro de agua). They are very social and can often be found in large groups. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Your Otter Should Know
 
Some incorrect choices:
hairy nosed otter, spotted necked otter, Congo clawless otter

9. This otter is a very social animal and can live in groups of as many as a dozen. They can use their paws almost as well as a human can use his hands. They are also the smallest of all species of otter.


Answer: Asian short clawed otter

Interesting Information:
These otters love to play with pebbles, and you can often find them on their backs throwing one around the place. They can also be very noisy, a means of communicating among the group which also doubles as a tool to make humans feed them for being so adorable. Okay, that may not be true, but otters are very smart creatures... Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: All Otter the World!
 
Some incorrect choices:
Sea otter, Spotted necked otter, American river otter

10. How old are male river otters when they reach sexual maturity?


Answer: 2 years

Interesting Information:
Females will not usually produce a litter until they are 3 years old. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: The North American River Otter
 
Some incorrect choices:
3 years, 4 years, 1 year

11. Otters appear in the folklore of various cultures, but in the folklore of which country are they known to shapeshift and fool humans?


Answer: Japan

Interesting Information:
The Japanese word for river otter is "kawauso". The "kawauso" folklore stories vary by region, but several of them tell tales of otters turning into beautiful women. In some of the darker versions, the otters that shapeshift into women lure men in order to kill and eat them.

One Ainu legend tells of how, in the process of making mankind, God had to return to Heaven and left instructions with a nearby otter for the deity that would come and finish his work. While waiting, the otter became so distracted with playing and fishing that he forgot to pass on the message. This is the reason why man is imperfect. Also, the legend says that the otter was cursed with a bad memory as punishment for his mistake. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: An Otter Thing
 
Some incorrect choices:
Norway, Uganda, Peru

12. Lengthwise, what is the largest species of otters called?


Answer: Giant Otter

Interesting Information:
The giant otter (Pteronura brasiliensis) can reach lengths of up to 7.8 feet and weigh between 50 to 100 pounds. Sometimes known to locals as the "river wolf", the giant otter is one of South America's top species and has no serious natural predators other than humans. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: The Otter Limits
 
Some incorrect choices:
Emperor Otter, King Otter, Otter-zilla

13. Which species of otter found in South America is the largest and can grow up to six feet long?


Answer: Giant otter

Interesting Information:
Thought to be less than 5,000 left in the wild the giant otter was hunted for its velvety pelt. There are also very few in captivity (around 60) however, an otter sanctuary in the UK recently managed to get a pair to breed. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Otterific!
 
Some incorrect choices:
Very large otter, Mammoth otter, Amazonian river otter

14. Which odd physical characteristic is true of river otters?


Answer: Their right lung is 19% larger than their left.

Interesting Information:
Maybe this makes them more streamlined, what with the heart on the left side. They have very small ears, which they can close, along with their nostrils, while swimming underwater. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Your Otter Should Know
 
Some incorrect choices:
Their tails are twice as long as their bodies., They have two hearts., They can cover their eyes with their ears.

15. The North American river otter is unique to the continent. Despite its name it can be found in lakes and on coasts, but where in North America would you find these animals?


Answer: All of these

Interesting Information:
These otters are quite plentiful all over America and Canada, although they are threatened or extinct in many states in mid-America. Many states allow hunting for their fur, though just as many have banned it, thankfully. Difficulty: Average.

From Quiz: All Otter the World!
 
Some incorrect choices:
East coast USA, West coast USA, Canada

16. On average, in what months does breeding usually take place for the river otter (in North America and Europe)?


Answer: March and April

Interesting Information:
Otter young are helpless at birth and do not open their eyes for 3 weeks. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: The North American River Otter
 
Some incorrect choices:
January and February, June and July, May and June

17. In 2001, the workers of the Monterey Bay Aquarium made which important revelation about caring for abandoned sea otter pups?


Answer: Female sea otters will act as surrogate mothers and raise them.

Interesting Information:
The Monterey Bay Aquarium's Sea Otter Program began when the aquarium opened in 1984, and its mission was revitalized in 1998. They first placed an abandoned sea otter pup with a female sea otter in the aquarium in 2001. It just so happened that a female otter named Toola gave birth to a stillborn pup the same day they found the abandoned pup. They decided to see what would happen if they gave the pup to the mother otter who lost her baby. The otter immediately began to mother the baby otter! Since then, the program continues to have their resident sea otter mothers raise rescued sea otter pups. They begin releasing the pups into the wild at around six months old and monitor them to make sure they are thriving. If the pup does not seem to be doing well, they recapture it and let it grow a bit more before re-releasing it. Toola, the first sea otter at Monterey Bay Aquarium to serve as a surrogate mother, died in 2012 after raising a total of thirteen pups during her stay at the aquarium! Difficulty: Average.

From Quiz: An Otter Thing
 
Some incorrect choices:
Abandoned sea otter pups cannot be housed together with female otters that have pups of their own., Abandoned sea otter pups can rarely be re-released in the wild and their chance for survival is low. , Male sea otters will eat the abandoned pups because they perceive them as a threat.

18. Although the sea otter is the heaviest species of otter, which is the longest?


Answer: Giant otter

Interesting Information:
Giant otter males are usually between 1.5 and 1.7 m (4.9 and 5.6 ft) from head to tail and the females are a little shorter. Generally the males weigh between 26 and 32 kg (57 and 71 lb), whereas the sea otter will weigh up to 45 kg or 99 lb. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: The Otter Limits
 
Some incorrect choices:
North American river otter, European otter, Hairy-nosed otter

19. In Norse mythology, Otter is a dwarf who can change into other shapes. After he has caught a fish as an otter, he is accidentally killed. Which Norse god killed him?


Answer: Loki

Interesting Information:
The penalty paid by the Aesir in compensation for Otter's death becomes the Rhinegold of Richard Wagner's Nibelung Trilogy. This is a story in Norse and Teutonic culture. Fafnir was Otter's brother, and he became a dragon who owned the hoard of gold, which was taken by Sigurd (Siegfried), who killed Fafnir. Loki is involved in all sorts of mischief among the Aesir, or Norse gods. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Your Otter Should Know
 
Some incorrect choices:
Odin, Siegfried, Fafnir

20. This otter was thought to be extinct in 1998. Thankfully, they have been rediscovered in Vietnam and Thailand.


Answer: Hairy nosed otter

Interesting Information:
Like many otter species, human activity and hunting significantly affected the population. Hopefully more of these beautiful animals will be found. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: All Otter the World!
 
Some incorrect choices:
Giant otter, Cape clawless otter, Marine otter

21. How long is the gestation period of an otter?


Answer: 60 days

Interesting Information:
Although the gestation period is only 60 days, most litters are born the year after fertilisation as the female can carry a fertilised egg around for up to nine months in her uterus. This is called delayed implantation and is common in the Mustelidae family. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: The North American River Otter
 
Some incorrect choices:
40 days, 50 days, 70 days

22. What happened in 1978 that gave an immediate boost to the number of otters in England's rivers?


Answer: Otter hunting was banned

Interesting Information:
Due to the rapid decline of the number of otters in English rivers, the ban on hunting otters was introduced in 1978. The Environment Agency announced in 2011 that otters had been re-established in all counties in England. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: The Otter Limits
 
Some incorrect choices:
Fifty pairs of zoo bred otters were released, Fishing in rivers was banned, Fifty thousand farm bred salmon were released

23. What do we call otter young?


Answer: pups

Interesting Information:
Otter young can also be called kits or whelp. They are raised by their mothers, as male otters do not share in the raising of the young. Mothers teach hunting and social skills, and the pups head out on their own when Mom takes on her next brood. Difficulty: Easy.

From Quiz: Your Otter Should Know
 
Some incorrect choices:
lambs, calves, fry

24. One of the larger otters yet still adorably cute, the sea otter spends a lot of its time out in the ocean, keeping warm with its very thick fur and by eating a third of its own body weight every day. Where in the world would you find them?


Answer: Pacific Ocean

Interesting Information:
Mothers keep their young on their chests as they float on their backs. When they need to hunt for food, they wrap the pup in kelp to camouflage it from predators and stop it floating away. Adult otters also hold hands, though rather than for affection, they do this to prevent ocean currents carrying an otter away from the group. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: All Otter the World!
 
Some incorrect choices:
Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Southern Ocean

25. What makes up the greatest proportion of the river otter's diet?


Answer: Fish

Interesting Information:
Apparently, if you were to taste an otter's flesh it would taste very fishy. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: The North American River Otter
 
Some incorrect choices:
Small Mammals, Aquatic plants, Oysters

26. Which otter can be found from the Bering Strait in the north and as far south as Japan?


Answer: Sea otter

Interesting Information:
Unlike the other species of otters, sea otters spend most of their time in the water. They rely upon air trapped in their fur for insulation as do all otter species, and they do not have blubber the way that most marine mammals do. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: The Otter Limits
 
Some incorrect choices:
Eurasian otter, Hairy-nosed otter, North American river otter

27. What is an otter's den called?


Answer: Couch

Interesting Information:
Although the couch COULD be in a den... LOL! The North American river otter's den is also called a holt and is often built in the burrows made by other animals like woodchucks or foxes. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: The Otter Limits
 
Some incorrect choices:
Sofa, Living Room, Lodge

28. Which religion considers it taboo to kill an otter?


Answer: Zoroastrism

Interesting Information:
Zoroastrians believe otters belong to Ahura Mazda, a divinity of the Old Iranian religion who was proclaimed the uncreated God by Zoroaster, the founder of Zoroastrianism. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Otterific!
 
Some incorrect choices:
Buddhism, Judaism, Taoism

29. In what type of forest would one expect to find large numbers of sea otters?


Answer: kelp forest

Interesting Information:
Rather than being a forest of trees, the kelp forest is an underwater forest of giant kelp, a seaweed. The kelp provides protection from predators as well as some food supply, such as snails and other organisms which attach themselves to the kelp. Mother sea otters have also been known to wrap their young in kelp while off acquiring food. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Your Otter Should Know
 
Some incorrect choices:
tropical rainforest, pine forest, mangrove forest

30. The giant otter is the biggest of all, and is even one of the biggest carnivores in the area. However, like the tiny Asian otters they live in social groups. On which continent would you find the giant otter?


Answer: South America

Interesting Information:
There are no otters in Oceania! Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: All Otter the World!
 
Some incorrect choices:
North America, Africa, Oceania

31. What age would an otter reach living in captivity (on average)?


Answer: 25 years

From Quiz: The North American River Otter
 
Some incorrect choices:
10 years, 15 years, 5 years

32. Which species of otter has not only the densest fur of any otter, but the densest of any mammal?


Answer: sea otter

Interesting Information:
Sea otters do not have blubber, so they rely on their thick fur to keep them warm and they have about one million strands of fur per square inch. They have a thick layer of underfur, which is covered by longer guard hairs which keep the underfur dry. The guard hairs have to be carefully groomed in order for them to maintain their ability to repel water. Baby otters cannot groom themselves, so mother otters do this for them for several hours a day. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: An Otter Thing
 
Some incorrect choices:
marine otter, Japanese otter, Eurasian otter

33. Lutrogale perspicillata maxwelli, commonly known as "Maxwell's otter" after the author of "Ring of Bright Water" Gavin Maxwell, is now thought to be extinct. Where did this species of otter originate?


Answer: Iraq

Interesting Information:
Gavin Maxwell was doing research for a book on marshes in Iraq when he was given the otter pup. Upon having the otter checked out by the London Zoological Society, it was found to be a new sub-species of otter and named in his honour.

The alluvial salt marshes of Iraq, which were its home, started to be drained in the 1960s, leading to the loss of habitat and ultimate extinction. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: The Otter Limits
 
Some incorrect choices:
Peru, Cuba, Scotland

34. Where is the giant otter's range?


Answer: South America

Interesting Information:
Look for them next time you are in the Amazon river basin. Giant otters are seen by the indigenous Achuar tribe as a type of water spirit called tsunki. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: The Otter Limits
 
Some incorrect choices:
The Canadian Prairies, The Steppes of Russia, The Alaskan Peninsula

35. What does an otter live in?


Answer: Holt

Interesting Information:
An otter's den is called a holt. Usually they live underground next to river banks. The creation of artificial holts has been one of the ways that otters have been encouraged to return to some of the areas where they had previously disappeared from. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Otterific!
 
Some incorrect choices:
Sett, Drey, Nest

36. What is the collective noun for sea otters?


Answer: raft

Interesting Information:
Collective nouns for river otters include family, romp, lodge, and bevy. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Your Otter Should Know
 
Some incorrect choices:
school, wave, flotilla

37. What age would an otter reach living in the wild (on average)?


Answer: 15 years

From Quiz: The North American River Otter
 
Some incorrect choices:
10 years, 20 years, 25 years

38. Sea otters are important for the health of kelp forests because they eat which kelp-eating marine animal?


Answer: sea urchins

Interesting Information:
Sea otters are important to the balance of the ecosystem of the ocean. They use kelp to float on while they sleep, but the kelp forests are also home to other marine animals. Kelp forests are also important for their absorption of CO2 through photosynthesis. Sea otters help protect these kelp forests by eating the sea urchins that like to eat kelp. When there are no otters around, the sea urchins are capable of wiping out entire kelp forests. When otters are near, the urchins will hide from them and feed on scraps of kelp. Difficulty: Easy.

From Quiz: An Otter Thing
 
Some incorrect choices:
coral, seahorses, sponges

39. In southern Bangladesh, otters have been domesticated and trained to do what?


Answer: Chase fish into nets

Interesting Information:
This traditional practice can still be found in the Narail district of Bangladesh, where the smooth-coated species of otters are found. The domesticated otters are born and bred in captivity. Approximately 300 fishermen are estimated to use these trained otters today. Difficulty: Average.

From Quiz: The Otter Limits
 
Some incorrect choices:
Keep cats out of fish tanks, Guide boats into harbors, Bring snacks to fishermen using their stomachs as a tray

40. Which species of otter is one of the few mammals that is capable of using tools?


Answer: Sea otter

Interesting Information:
The sea otter uses rocks to remove shell fish from the sea bed before then using them to break open the shells. It usually floats around on its back in the north eastern Pacific Ocean. Difficulty: Average.

From Quiz: Otterific!
 
Some incorrect choices:
Short clawed otter, Neotropical river otter, Hairy nosed otter
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