Giant Otters Photo © Alberto Yanosky

Giant Otter Pteronura brasiliensis

The Giant otter (sometimes called the Brazilian Otter) is known in Spanish as "Lobo Del Rio", or River Wolf, because of its colonial habits. It is generally regarded as the largest of the otter species: although the Marine Otter can weigh more, the Giant Otter has the longest body (sometimes reaching 6 feet from head to tail). It has a characteristic patch of cream fur on the throat and chin, the pattern of which differs between individuals; its fur is thick and velvety, reddish brown in colour, and is water repellent. They have typically short legs and a long rudder like tail which enable them to move swiftly, yet effortlessly, through the water.

Endemic to South America Giant Otters are found in slow moving rivers, lakes and swamps, preferring gently sloped river banks and areas with over hanging vegetation. Although Giant Otters have no natural predators their numbers decreased dramatically between 1940 and 1970 as a result of hunting for their fur, and current threats come from habitat loss and pollution.

The Giant Otter is classified as Endangered by IUCN (See IUCN Red List of Threatened Species for more information on the classification of the Giant Otter).

Help Protect the Giant Otter and Other Wildlife in Brazil

The World Land Trust's projects help protect the habitat of Giant otters and other threatened wildlife in the following areas:

• Atlantic Rainforest in Brazil;
• Atlantic Rainforest in Paraguay;
• Chaco-Pantanal in Paraguay;
• Atlantic Rainforest in Argentina;
• Cloud Forest in the Cerro Candelaria Reserve in Ecuador.

Please help protect these habitats by supporting our WLT projects.

More Information about Giant Otters and Their Habitat

• Read more about WLT's work in Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador and Paraguay
• Find more information on the Giant Otter on ARKive: Images of life on Earth