Mammals · Carnivora · Mustelidae
Southern River Otter
Lontra provocax
It faces a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future. See full glossary
The huillín, or southern river otter, is the most threatened otter in South America. It occupies two very different environments: the rivers and lakes of southern Chile and Argentina, with banks of dense native forest, and the marine shore of the Patagonian channels and fjords, where it lives among the rocks and kelp beds. It feeds mainly on crustaceans, fish and molluscs. It depends entirely on banks with roots, fallen trunks and thick vegetation in which to dig its dens, so it disappears as soon as the shoreline is cleared.
Weight
5 kg – 10 kg
Size
57 cm – 70 cm
Lifespan
10 years
Diet
Carnivore
Feeds mainly on other animals.
Activity
Nocturnal
Active mainly at night.
Social structure
Solitary
Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.
Sighting difficulty
Hard
Fun facts
- It is one of the few otters in the world to occupy both freshwater rivers and the sea coast, with coastal populations that behave very differently from the river ones.
- It was hunted intensively for its fur during the 20th century and its greatest threat today is the loss of riverside vegetation along the Patagonian rivers.
Life cycle & biology
- Skeleton type
- Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
- Habitat & environment
- Rivers and lakes with densely wooded banks, and rocky sea coasts of southern Chile
- Gestation / incubation
- 2 months
- Litter / clutch size
- 2
Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lontra_provocax
Where to find it
See its range on the interactive mapWhere to watch it
Parks and dive sites where this species has been documented.
Related species
Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Southern River Otter — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.
EndangeredBlue Whale
Balaenoptera musculus
EndangeredSouthern Darwin's Frog
Rhinoderma darwinii
Darwin's Fox
Lycalopex fulvipes
EndangeredGiant Otter
Pteronura brasiliensis
American Mink
Neovison vison
Near ThreatenedNeotropical Otter
Lontra longicaudis
How to help
The southern river otter is classified as endangered. Organizations such as UICN, WWF y Wildlife Conservation Society work specifically on its conservation and that of its habitat; looking into their programs is a good starting point if you want to get involved.
It's documented in 10 real protected areas — part of why protecting these places matters for its conservation.
Keep exploring
Based on what we already know about southern river otter.
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