As we all know, Cape Town is renowned for a myriad of gems and attractions, one of which is its paradise-like beaches, where visitors from across the globe can be seen flocking to in the summer months.
But apparently, humans aren’t the only species in the animal kingdom who seem to know this.
Also read: Be on the lookout for turtle hatchlings on False Bay beaches
A family of Cape clawless otters were spotted making the most of summer in true Capetonian style, with a little summer beach day in the Camps Bay area.
The little gang were lazing about in the shallow waters near a cave surrounded by boulders on the beach when Andrew Hofmeyer, who shared the footage on Friday afternoon, encountered them.
Take a look:
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While we can all agree that otters belong in the world’s top 50 list of the cutest animals that makes you want to pick them up and cuddle forever, however, it is important to remember that they are still wild animals that can become aggressive when feeling threatened so it’s best to admire them from a distance and keep dogs off-leash away.
The Cape clawless otter, also known as the African clawless otter (Aonyx Capensi), is a shy, larger-than-you’d-expect animal that is both nocturnal and diurnal. It is the largest freshwater species after the South American otter.
According to the Humane Society International/Africa (HSI/Africa), otter sightings along the Western Cape’s shores and water masses have increased in recent years.
Unfortunately, their population is slowly decreasing and in 2014, Cape clawless otters were listed as near threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Fun fact: It might be pretty obvious, but did you know the world-famous Otter Trail – the oldest hiking trail in South Africa – is specifically named after these cheeky critters?
Opened in 1968, it’s arguably the most iconic trail in SA, traversing 40 kilometres along the coastline between the Storms River mouth and Nature’s Valley. The Cape clawless otter can often be found within the streams and estuaries of the South African coast.
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Also read:
Look: A pair of southern right whales splashing about in Sea Point
Picture: @capetownx / Instagram
