Marine otter distribution and status

Follow Otter News daily for Marine otter month, June 2013

Photo courtesy www.seapics.com

The Marine otter is listed by the IUCN Red List as an endangered species; its population tread is decreasing. Native countries are Peru, Argentina and Chile (see map below) and their habitat is oceanic sea, with preferences for rocky shorelines with high winds.  They are the only Lontra genus to exclusively live in marine habitats.  

Marine otters are extremely susceptible to habitat decline, pollution, excessive poaching and hunting.  Otter News will explore their threats in more depth during awareness month.  

The official taxonomic listing is: Kingdom: Animalia; Phylum: Chordata; Subphylum: Vertebrata; Class: Mammalia; Order: Carnivora, Family: Mustelidae; Genus: Lontra; Species: Felina.



map courtesy http://maps.iucnredlist.org