How many baby Giant otters are in a litter?
A Giant otter (Pteronura brasiliensis) usually gives birth to around 2 babies.
Each of those little ones spend around 70 days as a fetus before they are released into the wild. Upon birth, they weight 204 grams (0.45 lbs) and measure 19.1 cm (0′ 8″). They are a member of the Mustelidae family (genus: Pteronura). An adult Giant otter grows up to a size of 1.14 meter (3′ 9″).
To have a reference: Humans obviously usually have a litter size of one ;). Their babies are in the womb of their mother for 280 days (40 weeks) and reach an average size of 1.65m (5′ 5″). They weight in at 62 kg (137 lbs), which is obviously highly individual, and reach an average age of 75 years.
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, a globally successful group of predators, reaching up to 1.7 metres (5.6 ft). 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.The giant otter ranges across north-central South America; it lives mostly in and along the Amazon River and in the Pantanal.Its distribution has been greatly reduced and is now discontinuous. Decades of poaching for its velvety pelt, peaking in the 1950s and 1960s, considerably diminished population numbers. The species was listed as endangered in 1999 and wild population estimates are typically below 5,000. The Guianas are one of the last real strongholds for the species, which also enjoys modest numbers — and significant protection — in the Peruvian Amazonian basin. It is one of the most endangered mammal species in the neotropics. Habitat degradation and loss is the greatest current threat. The giant otter is also rare in captivity; in 2003, only 60 animals were being held.The giant otter shows a variety of adaptations suitable to an amphibious lifestyle, including exceptionally dense fur, a wing-like tail, and webbed feet. The species prefers freshwater rivers and streams, which are usually seasonally flooded, and may also take to freshwater lakes and springs. It constructs extensive campsites close to feeding areas, clearing large amounts of vegetation. The giant otter subsists almost exclusively on a diet of fish, particularly characins and catfish, but may also eat crabs, turtles, snakes and small caiman. It has no serious natural predators other than humans, although it must compete with other species, including the neotropical otter and caiman species, for food resources.
Other animals of the family Mustelidae
Giant otter is a member of the Mustelidae, as are these animals:
- Steppe polecat with 9 babies per pregnancy
- Stoat with 6 babies per pregnancy
- Long-tailed weasel with 6 babies per pregnancy
- Hooded skunk with 4 babies per pregnancy
- African striped weasel with 2 babies per pregnancy
- Striped polecat with 2 babies per pregnancy
- Palawan stink badger weighting around 2.5 kilograms (5.51 lbs)
- Yellow-bellied weasel weighting only 264 grams
- Japanese marten weighting around 1 kilograms (2.2 lbs)
- Amazon weasel weighting only 268 grams
Animals that share a litter size with Giant otter
Those animals also give birth to 2 babies at once:
- Eastern barred bandicoot
- Jamaican coney
- Thick-tailed pygmy jerboa
- Calamian deer
- Saharan striped polecat
- Allegheny woodrat
- Large tree mouse
- Javanese flying squirrel
- Lion
- Giant golden mole
Animals that get as old as a Giant otter
Other animals that usually reach the age of 12.83 years:
- Banded mongoose with 12 years
- Leadbeater’s possum with 11 years
- Sable with 15 years
- Cape grysbok with 14 years
- Patagonian mara with 14 years
- Nine-banded armadillo with 15 years
- Pygmy hog with 12 years
- Red forest duiker with 15 years
- Common bent-wing bat with 14 years
- Bobak marmot with 15 years
Animals with the same weight as a Giant otter
What other animals weight around 26 kg (57.32 lbs)?
- Red goral usually reaching 28.68 kgs (63.23 lbs)
- African wild dog usually reaching 22 kgs (48.5 lbs)
- Red-fronted gazelle usually reaching 27 kgs (59.52 lbs)
- Western grey kangaroo usually reaching 25.58 kgs (56.39 lbs)
- Maned wolf usually reaching 23.31 kgs (51.39 lbs)
- Little red brocket usually reaching 21.05 kgs (46.41 lbs)
- Southern hairy-nosed wombat usually reaching 26.18 kgs (57.72 lbs)
- Mountain gazelle usually reaching 21.25 kgs (46.85 lbs)
- Red wolf usually reaching 26.7 kgs (58.86 lbs)
- Rhim gazelle usually reaching 24.47 kgs (53.95 lbs)
Animals with the same size as a Giant otter
Also reaching around 1.14 meter (3′ 9″) in size do these animals:
- Sika deer gets as big as 1.2 meter (4′ 0″)
- Ringed seal gets as big as 1.29 meter (4′ 3″)
- Spotted hyena gets as big as 1.3 meter (4′ 4″)
- Goitered gazelle gets as big as 95.8 cm (3′ 2″)
- Siberian roe deer gets as big as 1.32 meter (4′ 4″)
- Oribi gets as big as 1.16 meter (3′ 10″)
- Giant panda gets as big as 1.35 meter (4′ 6″)
- Philippine warty pig gets as big as 1.35 meter (4′ 6″)
- Arabian tahr gets as big as 1.08 meter (3′ 7″)
- Baikal seal gets as big as 1.28 meter (4′ 3″)