The clawless Cape otter is an incredible species that calls the Mother City and surrounds home. Despite being one of the largest freshwater otter species, they aren’t often captured on film, making a recent sighting extra special!
On Sunday, 23 January, locals got lucky with a sighting of not just one, but three otters! A mother and her two pups were filmed waddling along Struisbaai Harbour beach by Stan Sanetra from SA Nice. Struisbaai is located just over two-and-a-half hours drive from Cape Town.
“Last Sunday morning while playing on the beach at Struisbaai Harbour with my grandkids, we spotted three otters swimming along next to the beach. The beach was packed with families enjoying the fantastic weather. The mother otter with her two cubs decided to come out of the sea and they made their way to a den in the fynbos. The crowd did give them a gap, just a few over enthusiastic children came too close. Otters can bite if they feel threatened especially if the have cubs,” Stan told Cape {town} Etc.
WATCH:
These otters can be found anywhere from open coastal plains, to semiarid regions, to densely forested areas. Surviving mostly in South Africa, the otters live in areas surrounding permanent bodies of water, usually surrounded by some form of foliage. As in the video, the otters are seen scampering into greenery (hopping over a flipflop or two).
The Cape clawless otter weighs between 10 to 21kg, measuring 130cm in length, with the male being slightly larger than the female. This aquatic creature has very thick fur that keeps it warm and dry and uses its very long whiskers to find prey under rocks.
Females give birth to litters containing two to five young and their diet primarily consists of water-dwelling animals, such as crabs, fish, frogs and worms. So, the beach is the perfect place to pick up a crab or two!
The first six months after they are born, otter pups stick to their mother until they have grown and developed enough skills to go out all alone. But until then, their mother will leave them wrapped up in seaweed, floating while she goes out searching for food.
Fun fact: when bedtime strikes, an otter will wrap itself up in seaweed and will float around in a small group with other otters – the group is called ‘rafters’ – and some of them will hold hands while they sleep.
The biggest threats to African clawless otters are humans and the deterioration of freshwater ecosystems.
They will often forage in man-made fisheries (similar to the harbour) and can become entangled in fishing nets. Overfishing by humans has also reduced the food supply available to them.
In South Africa, 84% of the river ecosystems are threatened, including 54% being Critically Endangered, 18% Endangered, and 12% Vulnerable. This will have increasing impacts on aquatic species.
Cape clawless otters are precious. If spotted, do not interact with them or try to touch them. Cute as they may be, they are wild animals that should be respected and given space to roam freely without human intervention. They also have a mean bite!
Dr Audrey Delsink, director of wildlife for HSI/Africa told C ape {town} Etc:
“It is wonderful to see wildlife enjoying our beautiful shores, however, it is crucial to remember that African Clawless Otters are wild animals and should be treated as such. HSI/Africa is proud to work with the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment to closely monitor this remarkable example of coexistence between wildlife and humans, and to mitigate any possible conflict at the hands of man.
“With wildlife specialists on our team being members of the IUCN SSC Otter Specialist Group and the African Otter Network Group, leading expertise forms part of this healthy partnership. We can all play a part in protecting this endearing species and we encourage the public to live harmoniously alongside this protected species; avoid polluting their habitat, and do not interact with them. One should never attempt to touch or pick up an otter as it may defend itself and its young. Enjoy watching them but keep your distance!”
Thank you, Stan, for keeping the excited youngsters at bay. And to the gentleman keeping your dog on a leash — ten points!
Also read:
Otterly obsessed with otters- meet your next favourite animal
Footage: Stan Sanetra
