>>3490
Nice to hear otternon. And I agree, let's keep this one going.

It's been snowing here the past week, but today it's a little warmer. I hope otters don't mind this choppy weather as much as I do.

>>1645
>>1723
How are you doing these days, otternon?

hey!

>>3490

>its kindof nice to trace the whole thread back through time

I often find myself reading through old posts on here, makes me happy to look back at all the times we've had. I hope what's to come is even better!

>>3449
After doing some research, they occasionally get on land in a process called hauling out. From what I can tell, they do it to get away from predators and to help warm up. Makes sense that getting on land would be warmer than the cold ocean water, and I can't think of any land predators in those regions that would target sea otters, so it seems like a good place to go and relax a bit

>>3523 Hauling out? Isn't that what it's called when seals go on land? Idk, sea otters can kinda still walk, they don't really "haul", do they?

>>3525
That's true, hauling might not be the best term. But I think it might be a general behavior applied to marine mammals, which would encompass both seals and sea otters. I'm far from an expert, this is just what I got from a quick Googling

>>3526
Oh right, so it's a marine mammal thing. I wonder if it applies to other marine mammals? Maybe just those that live in the sea a majority of the time?

>>3523
Wolves do hunt sea otters in Alaska, but they've only started doing this after all the deer disappeared.

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-alaska-hungry-wolves-have-started-eating-sea-otters-180981509/

>>3463

>Maybe we can help out and make some material of our own?

I looked on their website and there's a topic page for the pet trade and why it's bad, but it lacks any real information as of yet. We could write something up to send them to help educate people about why it's so bad, and hopefully reduce its impact somewhat

>>3522
That's a great idea! Yeah, the page is completely empty as of now apart from a link. What information do you think should be included in particular? Needs to have some solid facts of course, all about the harm it's doing to the species but also about how hard it is to keep an otter as a pet.

>>3524
I think the biggest thing we should talk about is the harm that the pet otter trade causes to wild otters. I've heard a lot of talk about how poachers kill adult otters for pelts and steal babies for being pets, so that's definitely something to talk about. I also know that there have been a couple of studies of otter cafes and how they're totally unable to care for their otters, so maybe we bring that up somehow?

>>3527
I agree, that's definitely worth mentioning. IMO it's good to keep it short and sweet and get the point across. Why don't we both think about it and write something up? Maybe we can make it into a graphic, too.

>>3528
Sounds like a plan, I'll write something up tonight

Some technical updates:

• Added key (circle = OSG membership, square = otter project/NGO/etc.)
• Improved zoom feature
• Fixed pop ups not showing on Safari

Added:

> A long term monitoring project on giant otters in Peru conducted by Frankfurt Zoological Society. https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/294a8087ba354d428a8eeac86de34e44

Added:

>Distribution Survey For Otters In Sikkim, India

Sunita Khatiwara and Karma Choden Bhutia (2020)
https://iucnosgbull.org/Volume37/Khatiwara_Bhutia_2020.html

The North East Otter Network is a group for otter enthusiasts and conservationists in north east England. We run a survey of our area every year at the end o f April using the Snapshot Survey method. We also collect road kill and other dead otters to send to the Cardiff University Otter Project for post mortem.

>>3520
Added!

>>3420 I hope you'll make it next time! We missed you too. We saw the documentary about Diane and her giant otters, then we watched this documentary about badgers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GibcHk0ue8g
It was a lovely time, as always.

>>3424
Dang, I really wish I had made it! Next time though, I'm gonna be there, come hell or high water

Next stream on Sunday, March 26th at 8pm UTC

>>3495
I'm pumped! It's been too long since I last made it to Ottercine, this one is gonna be fun

>>3497
One week til ottercine!

Otters can get all kinds of animals. Here's one with a duck.

What a catch, it's not easy to catch a rabbit even as a land predator. I'm sure that otter's family was very happy that day

>>3504
It was definitely a hard fought meal, what with how quick bunnies can be, but the otter obviously came out on top! And I'm sure his family loved it, rabbit does taste good after all

>>3484
Otters can get a surprising amount of birds, from what I can tell. Here's one with another kind of bird, not sure what type

>>3515
That's awesome! Must be some kind of aquatic bird?

Here's another rabbit otter.

Cute little otters you can put right in your post! If they're too big I can make them smaller. Also suggest some more if you want.

>>11
>>3469
This might work for you?

>>3483 Made them a bit smaller, I think this is better

>>3483
These are great! Thank you ottmin!

>>3483
I love these little otters! Is there a way we can download the full-res versions of them too?

>>3513
Oh, they're all from different pics that were posted here over time. I'm sure you'll be able to find most of them around here

>>3499
That other otter likes his tail.

This might not quite fall in with the rest of these, but I like this Ott's pose

I've also discovered this, there was actually a newsgroup about otters. There's a lot of spam and nonsense but fun to click through nonetheless.
https://groups.google.com/g/alt.animals.otters

>>3309
One thing I'd like to have more of is all the personal otter encounter stories, but sadly that's a very rare thing and we are only few, so we won't get those kinds of tales often

>>3309
Sometimes I wonder how much we should advertise Otterchat. On the one hand, more otternons is always a good thing, but on the other hand, rapid influxes of new people always worry me. But maybe I'm just being a Nervous Nancy about it

>>3316
Personally, I think just telling friends about it is enough. Direct advertising usually doesn't work at all, people just need to discover this place naturally by finding something they're looking for in it. The way the internet is right now, maybe that's a little hard for most people, but I think this place is already pretty successful as it is considering how niche of a topic it covers.

At this point I see no problem with advertising the site. We've got a captcha to keep unqualified posters out, so we should be able to advertise as much as we want. We should still be smart about it of course, don't just spam links or anything.

>>2676 Always being curious is a big part of what makes an otter an otter. Even if something seems boring and mundane at first glance, just take a moment to take it in and appreciate it. And maybe it'll turn out to be something fascinating.

>>2652
It reminds me of the Prophet's saying, "The Paradise is surrounded by hardships".

>>3475
The principle of getting in the water also points toward the merits of self-discipline and commitment. The water may not be enjoyable or pleasant. It may be cold and uncomfortable. But the water is rewarding all the same. There is something to be gained from getting in the water. Something that is greater than the unpleasant feeling that comes from getting in it. You may make that leap into the water, and you may catch a fish or a crab, and then eat and be satisfied for the rest of the day. Those few minutes in the water getting over your own aversion to the discomfort of being in the aquatic environment brought you something much better than just avoiding having to endure the water for a short while.

This is a lesson for us, too. When the prophet said that Paradise is surrounded by hardships, he was referring to the trials and hardships a believer endures in this life to gain the ultimate reward in the next. There are unpleasant and uncomfortable things in our lives which we endure because we know that they will bring us to a better outcome.

Why do otters get in the water? To catch the fish. You don't just have to ask yourself what the water is, but what the fish is, as well. Not only what it is you may have to endure, but what you hope to gain from it.

I like this thread
https://ia801604.us.archive.org/2/items/get-in-the-water/get-in-the-water.ia.mp4

>>3487
This is pretty swell, thanks for sharing!

>>2436 either a fight or very fierce love.

>>2442
Otters love hard and fight hard

>>2453 Passionate otters!

>>1783
They definitely do it for fun, playfighting is simply one of otter's many sports.

>>2436 You just can't tell sometimes.

It's a cool bug, I like the colour. What other animals have otter versions?

Cormorants! I learned that these birds are excellent swimmers, and they can dive up to 45 meters deep. How cool is that?

I had thought penguins might be otter-birds, but they're more like sea lions than otters I'd say.

>>1079
A lot of the great natural processes will involve otters in some capacity

>>1155
In a perfect world.
Dubdubs confirm that's the way it's supposed 2b.

1000 miles per hour

These are magnificent

How many 'ters does it take to count as a pile? Is this a pile?

>>3455
I think three is the lower limit, so I say yes!

>>3455
I'd say each otter is a pile of otters that contains exactly one otter, and when these singleton piles get close to each other they automatically join into a larger pile.

If you replace each otter in a pile with another otter, is it still the same pile?

>>3440
Otters when waiting for food

>>3454
Otters when there's food

Otters are candy for the eyes

>>2351
Sounds like a funny otter picture, can you post it?

I like saying otter
otter

>>2341 I hope you see otters soon

>>2354

>Otters are candy for the eyes

Except otters are good for you.

I've shortened it by now, I just say 'ter

>>262
Another otter plumber

I found out that otters learn stuff faster after watching friends do that thing. they're so smart! https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.201215

>>3364 Apparently, an otter got a 35 on the ACT last year... truly creatures of inestimable intellect.

Waiting in the doctor's office

>>3365
Did that really happen?

>>3115
I like to believe this was a two otter job, where the first one deliberately distracted the human so the second could execute the grab. A well planned otter heist.

>>3116 Perhaps. Or maybe the second otter just saw a good opportunity to grab that bucket. Not planned, but well executed.

>>3117
Though have to say otters seem like animals that are enough in tune with each other to plan complex things like that. They'd be able to solve problems together like (how do we steal the guy's bucket without him noticing).

>>2029
How about a bucket full of water? I believe humans call that a pool

>>3443 That would be perfect for otters.
And that pic is just the cutest!

It's better with friends and family.

>>3371 us

>>3372 as your fellow otterpal, I heartily agree!

>>1896
Those are defintely his

>>1081

>Otters just want to grab everything.

Everything.

>>145 It happened again!

>>139

>>2824
This is us

Turns out otts like our hands too

>>1486
Much
Rougher

Wild types always are.

>>1488
How would you know? Have you been licked by an otter?

>>1495
I never kiss and tell.
Otters respond aggressively to violations of their privacy.

Haha! I love this little otter guy!

>>2813 Ah the beard of contentment. The impression that only a good nourishing bowl of milk can leave on a baby otter.

Texas Aquarium posted this

>>2727

The otter with the spotted neck.

>>1769
Otty necky spotty

>>1770
Noble Hunter.

Is this a spotted necked otter? I think it is but i'm not sure

>>3119
This is so cool! Might pick it up as a Christmas gift to myself.

A Ring of Bright Water (1960) and its sequels are an amazing set of autobiographical novels about Gavin Maxwell and his lutrine companions.

I recommend them ONLY to the stout of heart, though (especially the latter ones), as they get exceedingly sad.

But if you're into otters (if you're not, why are you reading this thread!), reading (see my previous parentheses), and you don't mind a little sadness, definitely check out A Ring of Bright Water!

>>3379
Thanks for sharing this! How do you think the book compares to the film? I'd love to give it a read if I weren't so lazy about reading heh

>>3389
I think the movie is at least as good for otter enjoyers... perhaps better? But for someone more interesting in Maxwell (or the writing in general), the book is obviously superior. If you're lazy about reading, the movie'll probably be fine lol.

It's more for beginner otterlovers, but there are lots of good testimonials and pics of otts in this. It's by the otter specialist group! https://weloveotterscom.files.wordpress.com/2016/10/the_otter_book_definitivo_web.pdf

>>2754
>>2755
looks like one of those otter cafes, evil places.

>>3402 Nice squeaks. Did you take this anon?

>>3403
Sadly no. A friend sent it to me.

>>2757 The otters are still cute, though.

>>3278 So cool, what an amazing pair of otters! It's lovely seeing them twirl around underwater.

>>3280
I'd bet some of it is that otters check stuff out by sniffing it, and so that's the first part of the otter that touches something with snow

>>3296 That's what I thought too. You stick your nose into everything,eventually something's gonna stick back.

Otters have to work a little harder for their food in the snow but they also get to enjoy themselves playing in it, so it's a fair trade right?

>>3281