North American river otter
North American river otter A pair at the San Francisco Zoo in 2005 Conservation status Least Concern (IUCN 3.1) [1] Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Carnivora Family: Mustelidae Genus: Lontra Species: L. canadensis Binomial name Lontra canadensis (Schreber, 1777) Subspecies see text Synonyms Lutra canadensis The North American river otter ( Lontra canadensis ), also known as the northern river otter or the common otter , is a semiaquatic mammal endemic to the North American continent found in and along its waterways and coasts. An adult North American river otter can weigh between 5.0 and 14 kg (11.0 and 30.9 lb). The river otter is protected and insulated by a thick, water-repellent coat of fur. The North American river otter, a member of the subfamily Lutrinae in the weasel family (Mustelidae), is equally versatile in the water and on land. It establishes a burrow close to the water's edge in river, lake, swamp, coastal shorel...