THE OTTER

The cute and furry little otter,
Lives his life in the water.
There are different species around thirteen,
From Europe to America and in between.
Some may never leave the sea,
Living life quite carefree.
They rest and sleep on their back,
Some Otters like live in a pack.
This pack in water is called a raft,
Air in their fur means they don’t feel a draft,
It keeps them warm in water cold,
To stay together, asleep, hands they do hold.

Their fur is so very thick, that in just a pinch
A million hairs in one square inch.
Grooming keeps their fur water repellent,
And their webbed feet act as a propellant.
All Otters are carnivores,
A rock underarm it stores,
He uses this tool to open a shell,
When dinner nearby it does smell,
To keep his body warm enough,
Twenty five percent of his weight he must stuff
Into his belly, each and every day,
So his often out hunting his prey.
A single pup a sea otter will raise,
Through several months until adult phase.
A Sea Otter can reach nearly two metres long,
Forty-five kilograms in weight and strong.

River Otters live on land and in water,
They build their dens underwater.
Otters are part of the weasel family group,
Each unique in spraint – or poop.
This gives other otters information,
Leaving spraint in a certain location.
Some Otters like to live alone,
Except for a mother with pups of her own.
They play together along the river and beside,
Working and playing to make a slide.
River Otters make an underground den,
Living for years less than ten.

These creatures may look very cute,
But be careful, they can act quite a brute.
It’s best to observe them from afar,
To keep one’s self safe from a scar.

Poem by Sourcherry
Photographs from Pixabay