Giant otter Pteronura brasiliensis Endangered
Where the giant otter lives – recorded in 7 countries, with quick facts from Wikidata and an introduction from Wikipedia.
Pin and shaded countries are approximate. The pin is a representative wild sighting (a central record among 817 open-licence GBIF records), not an official range. Method · Records on GBIF · See weasels, otters, badgers & skunks on the world map
| Scientific name | Pteronura brasiliensis |
|---|---|
| Group | Weasels, otters, badgers & skunks |
| Status | Endangered (Wikidata, IUCN category label) |
| Found in | 7 countries |
| Continents | South America |
| Mass | 200 g (birth weight); 29 kg (male organism, adult weight); 24 kg (female organism, adult weight) |
| Class | Mammal |
| Order | Carnivora |
| Family | Mustelidae |
Where does the giant otter live?
Open-licence (CC0 / CC BY) wild records published on GBIF place the giant otter in 7 countries and territories across South America. Wikidata gives its range as: Brazil, Oriximiná.
Countries with at least a handful of records (a minimum share of the species’ records, to leave out vagrants and escapes). Records with coordinates only; captive and fossil records excluded.
How big is a giant otter?
Wikidata records the following for the giant otter: mass 200 g (birth weight); 29 kg (male organism, adult weight); 24 kg (female organism, adult weight).
Is the giant otter endangered?
The giant otter’s conservation status recorded in Wikidata is “Endangered” (an IUCN Red List category label). Source: Wikidata.
What kind of animal is the giant otter?
The giant otter (Pteronura brasiliensis) is a mammal in the order Carnivora and the family Mustelidae, genus Pteronura. (Taxonomy from Wikidata.)
About the giant otter
The giant otter or giant river otter (Pteronura brasiliensis) is a South American carnivorous mammal. It is the longest member of the weasel family, Mustelidae, reaching up to 1.8 m (5 ft 11 in). Atypical of mustelids, the giant otter is a social species, with family groups typically supporting three to eight members. The groups are centered on a dominant breeding pair and are extremely cohesive and cooperative. Although generally peaceful, the species is territorial, and aggression has been observed between groups. The giant otter is diurnal, being active exclusively during daylight hours. It is the noisiest otter species, and distinct vocalizations have been documented that indicate alarm, aggression, and reassurance.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Giant otter (revision 1381434962), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Changes: lead section excerpted verbatim, formatting removed. Quick facts, taxonomy and status: Wikidata Q83774 (CC0). Countries and pin: GBIF.org occurrence records (CC0 / CC BY 4.0).
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