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Have you ever seen the "little water monster" in Jiuzhaigou?An animal with a slender body in Jiuzhaigou, swimming smoothly and smoothly, and not afraid of people at all, swam straight towards the shore where tourists gathered, causing people to exclaim, "What is this?".”
The staff of Jiuzhaigou took a look and found that this was not a "water monster", but a Eurasian otter, a lovely and rare national second-class key protected wild animal!
Why do otters swim in the water?
The water otter (tǎ) is a mammal from the genus Otter of the order Carnivorous - Mustelidae. They belong to the semi-aquatic mammals, mainly live in clear rivers and lakes, and are the apex predators of river and lake ecosystems.
The otter's body is streamlined, with its long tail dragging through the water, forming continuous waves as it swims, giving people a sense of beauty of flowing water. Although it is a burrowing animal, it is also known as "otter cat", "fish cat", "water dog", "water hair", and "water monkey" because it often inhabits water.
The life of an otter is inseparable from a body of water.
It is not difficult to guess from the nicknames of these images that otters are natural swimmers. For them, swimming is like a fish in water, why is that?
First of all, in terms of appearance, otters have a streamlined body, short, rounded limbs, and a long, thick tail. The soft body and tail allow the otter to not only move quickly in the water, swimming more than 50 meters per minute, but also reducing the resistance generated when moving in the water, allowing for more flexibility.
In addition, otters have well-developed hind fins and claws on their forelimbs, a physiology that allows them to paddle quickly and flexibly through the water for efficient swimming.
If you look closely, the otter's fur is short but very dense, and it has a certain amount of watertightness. The hair doesn't get wet in the water, which not only helps maintain body temperature and reduce buoyancy, but also makes the otter look smoother when paddling, just like an eel.
Otters are not only swimmers, but they are also very good at diving!
This is because otters have a very high bone density, which reduces the effect of buoyancy and makes it easier for them to remain immersed in the water when they are in the water. When they dive, their nostrils and ears are also able to obediently close on their own, preventing water from flowing in. Otters can swim in the water for up to 4 to 5 minutes, which not only helps to avoid predators, but also catches prey in the water more efficiently.
Otters dive into the water very quickly.
So what are the otters' prey?
Otters are excellent aquatic hunters, and their diet consists mainly of various aquatic animals.
Therefore, the first place on the otter's prey list is, of course, fish. Otters make a living by catching a variety of fish, and have unique hunting skills for different types of fish, and are very good at chasing and preying in the water.
Dominating the river and lake ecosystem.
Otters also prey on frogs, shrimps, crabs, and rodents, especially in wetlands and near streams in waters. They can easily catch these frogs, rats and crustaceans with their clever swimming and diving skills.
Not only that, but otters are especially good at ambushing. Especially during the cold winter months, otters often crouch in their ice holes, waiting for an unsuspecting fish to swim in and attack quickly. When spotted swimming slowly on the surface of the water, the otter will also sneak in from underwater, then bite the prey and slowly eat it.
Their dense fur makes them unafraid of the cold.
The Eurasian otter differs from the North American otter in that it has a shorter neck, a wider face, and more space between its ears and a longer tail. The Eurasian otter is found in parts such as Europe, Asia and northern Africa, and was once found near waters in various parts of China.
North American otter. 
Eurasian otter. However, due to high water pollution and excessive hunting, the otter population has plummeted and is almost endangered, and it is listed as near threatened on the Red List of Threatened Species. In China, otters are also listed as national second-class key protected wild animals.
Otters have appeared many times in various parts of our country.
Thankfully, through efforts to protect them, the otter ecology in China has indeed recovered a lot.
In May 2022, two otters were photographed at the Longbao National Nature Reserve Management Station in Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province, using infrared cameras to monitor them.
In October 2022, an otter that had disappeared for nearly a decade appeared in the Nansha wetland in Guangzhou.
On February 22, 2023, the staff of the Wuyi Mountain National Park Scientific Research and Monitoring Center was pleasantly surprised to find the "figure" of the Eurasian otter when sorting out the data of the ** infrared camera. This is the first time that an image of an Eurasian otter has been recorded in Wuyi Mountain National Park.
On February 25, 2023, in the Longbao National Nature Reserve, the activity of three otters was recorded for the first time, and the herders captured the three otters playing on the ice.
In May 2023, the staff of the Management Office of the Sketch Creek National Nature Reserve in Xuyong County, Luzhou City, accidentally found an otter when they were checking the infrared camera.
This time, we captured a very clear picture of the otter activity.
And this time, the Eurasian otter made a surprise appearance in the Panda Sea in Jiuzhaigou, Sichuan!
As a natural scenic spot in China, Jiuzhaigou is not only picturesque, but also home to many rare animals and plants, and the stunning appearance of the otter has become a highlight of the Jiuzhaigou ecosystem.
On August 8, 2017, 7Level 0**, this natural disaster not only caused serious life and economic losses to the local people, but also caused a considerable negative impact on the ecosystem of Jiuzhaigou.
The sea of sparks in Jiuzhaigou bottoms out, exposing the soil at the bottom of the lake.
The Panda Sea is one of the famous attractions in Jiuzhaigou, which is popular for its unique rock shape and crystal clear waters. However, a rocky and mudslide caused major damage to this beautiful body of water, with waterfalls collapsing, rivers drying up, and the remaining lake becoming muddy, threatening the landscape.
The original beautiful scenery of the Panda Sea.
The battered sea of pandas.
Against this backdrop, the appearance of the Eurasian otter is a very encouraging sign.
As an extremely sensitive organism to water quality, the presence of the Eurasian otter indicates that the ecological balance of Jiuzhaigou is gradually recovering. Their choice to live in this area shows that the quality of the water and the surrounding environment has improved, and it has also made remarkable achievements in the restoration and reconstruction of Jiuzhaigou.
As an important indicator species of ecosystem health, the Eurasian otter is highly sensitive to environmental changes. Their appearance not only provides strong support for the local ecological balance, but also adds a precious touch to the ecosystem of Jiuzhaigou. This is also the success of the restoration work, presenting a richer and more diverse ecological landscape for Jiuzhaigou tourists.
Therefore, the appearance of the Eurasian otter in Jiuzhaigou is not only a wonderful encounter, but also a blessing for this traumatized but tenacious reborn natural paradise. Their existence symbolizes the tenacity of vitality and the restoration of ecological balance, injecting more hope and vitality into the future of Jiuzhaigou.
Are otters naturally affectionate?
The otters in Jiuzhaigou are not only not afraid of people at all, but also take the initiative to approach the photographer, and then swim by the tourists comfortably. So is the otter a naturally affectionate and humane animal?
In fact, wild otters usually have a conservative attitude towards humans, they are naturally alert, and may show caution and vigilance in unfamiliar environments and human approach.
Most of the time, they will stand up by treading water, with their heads and necks above the water, and observe the distance cautiously and keenly. However, they may also be curious and approachable at times, especially if they have not been threatened.
Otters may be motivated to approach people out of curiosity or have adapted to human activity. In recent years, otters have gathered a group of "fans" on the Internet because of their cute appearance, lively behavior, and closeness to humans.
Can you keep an otter as a pet?
However, it is important to note that wild animals are inherently wild and they are not domesticated pets. Even if they exhibit closeness behavior, they should not be overly approached or disturbed by their living environment. We should respect the natural habits of wild animals, keep an appropriate distance from them, and avoid disturbing or harming them.
Otters also engage in "ferocious" fights with each other.
Most importantly, don't forget that otters are the "second in China", and captive-bred otters need to have a series of complete procedures, and they must also be filed with the Forestry Bureau. For this wild otter, you must "punish" according to your ability!
Why are otters mistaken for water monsters?
If it weren't for the sharp-eyed staff of Jiuzhaigou, they recognized this as an otter, and I don't know how many netizens thought that there was a water monster in Jiuzhaigou. In 2022, some photographers also photographed unknown creatures suspected of being water monsters in Changbai Mountain. After an expert identification, good guy, isn't this an otter?!
Am I a youkai? Strange to say, why are otters often mistaken for water monsters?
First, the size and claws of otters have some human-like features, which can lead to people mistaking them for monster-like creatures when viewed from a distance.
The famous "Otter Prayer".
But even if they look alike, otters sometimes exhibit behaviors similar to those of humans, such as standing, observing, playing, etc.
This behavior may give the impression that the otter has some kind of mysterious human intelligence and mysterious spirituality, and further deepens people's fear of this animal. Remember the brown bears that pretended to be ** and waved and then preyed on humans? It is this animal that humans tend to fear with certain intelligence and behavioral characteristics.
The second point is that otters are very capable of hunting, and in spring and summer they will prey on a large number of fish, eating nutritious fish heads, and throwing the rest on the shore, which seems to humans as if they were displaying offerings, this behavior was observed by the ancients and called it "otter sacrifice fish". Whether it is an "offering" or a "sacrifice", this act of the otter invisibly creates a mysterious atmosphere for itself.
Otters are also used in Bangladesh for fishing.
As a result, in some places, especially in ancient folklore, otters are often seen as mysterious spirits. In some stories of the Tang Dynasty, there is a story of an otter turning into a beautiful woman to marry a scholar and giving birth to 3 little otters.
In the folklore of the early years, Shennongjia also had an "otter demon". Legend has it that this otter demon always appears in the river, living like a human being, with hair hanging down and a stick of grass in his mouth, looking very mysterious. However, this otter demon has no malicious intentions, and often scares pedestrians passing by the river.
This may be a legend created by the local residents to explain some of the strange sights, giving the image of the otter some mysterious and humanized qualities. In many traditional myths and legends, animals are often endowed with human qualities, serving as a bridge between humans and nature, as well as adding to the local natural environment.
Of course, people often mistake otters for water monsters, and the most important thing is inseparable from its water nature! Remember? Otters are natural sailors, and swimming and diving are commonplace for them.
When someone finds the otter's tracks, it may "swish" and quickly dive into the water, leaving only a ripple, which, combined with the streamlined body and flexible swimming mode in the water, gives people a mysterious and graceful feeling.
Underwater otters.
When people look at it from a distance, they may only see a small black shadow on the surface of the water, and then quickly disappear, which can easily trigger associations with water monsters. It is only when the otter reappears that people can take a closer look and discover that the mysterious monster is actually a lively and cute otter!
It's me, it's rare and weird!