The V&A Waterfront is home to a family of urban Cape Clawless Otters; the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation celebrated World Otter Day by sharing details about how they protect them.
Cape Town, South Africa (01 June 2023) – Ooops, we missed World Otter Day! It takes place on the 31st of May but seeing as we are only a day late, we still want to celebrate the absolutely adorable Cape Clawless Otter which is native to South Africa. The Two Oceans Aquarium celebrated the otter by sharing some interesting facts about the local species.
In celebration of World Otter Day, the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation shared for the first time the incredible work its Wildlife Management Programme team does with urban otters at the V&A Waterfront. Yes, they are that close! Have you ever spotted one?
The Two Oceans Aquarium considers itself privileged to have these curious animals right on its doorstep, speaking to the larger conversation in Cape Town about the animal diversity in our urban spaces. The Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation’s Marine Wildlife Management Programme, in partnership with the V&A Waterfront, initiated the Urban Otter Project in 2022 to mitigate interaction between otters and humans.
The Cape clawless otters that call the V&A Waterfront their home, are great ambassadors for creating awareness about their species, and the human threats they experience daily. There is an opportunity to highlight the amazing characteristics displayed by the otters in this urban space, such as their own family unit interaction, their curiosity for the environment, and their innovative ways of finding resources and living abundant lives amongst humans.
Here are some otter facts to help keep you primed for World Otter Day:
- To stay warm, otters depend solely on their thick fur. “Guard hairs” cover the body, acting as insulation.
- African clawless otters have large molars, specialized for crushing crustaceans and fish skulls. The shape of their molars varies by region.
- Otters possess flattened tails, which are used both for swimming and for balance when walking or sitting upright.
- Their rear paws have partially webbed toes, which allow them to swim and move on land with ease.
- Territories are marked using a pair of anal glands which secrete a scent unique to each otter. These scents allow otters to each claim a territory.
- Otters’ lung capacity is more than double that of similarly sized land mammals, allowing them to easily stay underwater for several minutes at a time.
- Their clawless fingers are great tools for digging on the muddy bottoms of ponds and rivers, picking up rocks and looking under logs.
What to do if you encounter an otter
- Walk backwards, and don’t stand still. Move away from the otter.
- Use a jersey or raincoat to usher the otter away from your feet – if you stand still, they may investigate your foot.
- If you’re swimming, change direction when you near their territory.
- Wear booties when swimming or kayaking.
- Keep moving away from the otter, on foot or on water.
As long as you abide by these “otter etiquette” rules, you shouldn’t have any negative interactions.
Report any otter sighting to the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation via Whatsapp: 076 847 2431 or send an email to sightings@aquarium.co.za.
The Marine Wildlife Management Programme encourages you to upload your otter images on the iNaturalist app. Create a profile on the app, take a photo ensuring the location is on, and load it onto the site. iNaturalist and the Urban Otter Project will do the rest.
You can find out more about the otters from the foundation here.
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