Page 23 - Southern Exposure - December '23
P. 23

Southern Exposure, Page 23



                                                                northern notes




                                               “Otterly” Amazing Otters



                                   By Katie Roundtree, Director of Finance and Administration, Northern Palm Beach County Improvement District


        River otters are mainly                           Active mainly                                    They can be feisty and attack if threatened. River otters can
      found in freshwater ponds,                        at night, otters are                               occasionally create a nuisance by eating fish in hatcheries and
      streams, canals, and marshes                      excellent hunters.                                 stocked ponds or digging dens in pond banks. Keep stocked
      everywhere in Florida,                            Their diet consists                                ponds covered or fenced to prevent otters from entering
      except the Keys.  These                           primarily of fish,                                 ponds.
      charismatic mammals are a                         amphibians,  insects                                 Enjoy these native animals from afar. They are fun to
      member of the weasel family                       and  crustaceans.                                  watch and known for their antics in and around the water.
      and are comfortable both in                       Their powerful teeth                               However, please do not approach them or try to pet them.
      and out of the water. Otters                      and  jaws  are  made                               They are far more likely to avoid humans than confront them.
      grow to about 40 inches,                          for catching and                                   Otters are apex predators and are wild creatures – cute but
      weighing between 10 to 30                         gripping onto slippery                             certainly not cuddly.
      pounds.  They have short                          fish. An otter’s bite is                             NPDES tip: Please pick up after your pet. When pet
      legs, elongated bodies, webbed feet and a strong, flattened   approximately 615                      waste is washed into lakes or canals the waste decays, using
      tail, which acts like a rudder in the water. Their nostrils and   pounds per square inch compared to the average person’s   up oxygen and sometimes releasing ammonia. Low oxygen
      ears close to keep water out, and waterproof fur keeps them   bite force of around 162 pounds per square inch. Their bite   levels and ammonia combined with warm temperatures can
      warm. Otters have the densest coat of any animal – as many   is comparable to a German Shepherd’s bite! River otters can   kill fish and disrupt the natural food chain. Pet waste also
      as a million hairs per square inch in places. Because of this,   easily chew through the tough skin of armored catfish found   contains nutrients that encourage weed and algae growth.
      otters were once hunted to near extinction for their fur. Their   in our area and eat the flesh underneath.   Perhaps most importantly, pet waste carries diseases which
      colors range from light brown to dark, rich brown. They     As cute as they are, otters are wild animals and should be   make water unsafe.
      are strong swimmers and can swim about 6 to 8 miles per   left alone. Please do not feed them and give them their space.
      hour, holding their breath for up to eight minutes. On land,
      however, they can run up to 15 miles per hour.
        Otters spend much time on land, often traveling
      considerable distances between waterways. Most otters have
      at least one permanent burrow (den) by water. The burrow’s
      main entrance may be underwater. It then slopes upward to
      a nest chamber above the high-water level. The burrows are
      built in the bank of a water body, often under tree roots. They
      dig their own burrow or repurpose an abandoned beaver den.
      Otters give birth in early spring to anywhere from one to
      five babies. Baby otters, called pups or kits, stay with their
      mothers until they’re up to a year old or until she has another
      litter. Babies learn to swim when they are about 2 months
      old when their mother introduces them to the water. Otters
      are natural swimmers and learn to swim quickly.








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                                                                                                                              Heart Breaker
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          A Doobies Brother                                          7:30PM                                                   full concert experience
                                                                                                                              that is sure to thrill and
          Experience- A remarkable                                   From the Beatles’ British                                entertain any Classic
          show that will exceed                                      invasion to the music of                                 Rock fan!
          your expectations!                                         Woodstock, and
                                                                     everything in between
                                                                     and after!



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