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Pebbles in the sun
This lovely little otter was playing with a pebble, golden gleaming, sunlit. Just like our cats at home. At ease, dappled in the rays of beautiful day. I was for a full five minutes before realising the beauty of it on film.
Hope you enjoy it too.
The oriental small-clawed otter , also known as the Asian small-clawed otter, is the smallest otter species in the world, weighing less than 5 kg. It lives in mangrove swamps and freshwater wetlands of Bangladesh, Burma, India, southern China, Taiwan, Laos, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Similar species: Carnivorans
By Ludo Sak
All rights reserved
Uploaded Aug 9, 2012. Captured Jul 21, 2012 14:55 in Scarborough, North Yorkshire YO12 6RP, UK.
comments (8)
"This enchanting photo shows an Oriental Small-clawed Otter (Aonyx cinerea) playing with a pebble as it basks in the sun. Otters are such interesting animals with their ability to close their ear and nostril valves while swimming underwater and their fantastic fur that is full of air pockets to keep them insulated and dry. The Oriental small-clawed otter has some additional features that set it apart from other species of otter. These gregarious, semiaquatic mammals are the smallest of all other otters. They are native to coastal areas in southern Asia where they can be seen playing on muddy banks or juggling pebbles. They have unusual paws, which is their main distinctive feature. Their paws feature short claws with only partially webbed fingers and toes. This may not sound revolutionary, but this incomplete webbing gives them an unusual level of manual dexterity, coordination, and a remarkable sense of touch. It enables them to dig in the sand or mud with ease and speed when seeking shellfish. Other otters cannot do this, and instead have to catch prey with their mouths. So, this adaptation is certainly advantageous whether an otter is swimming, looking for food, eating, or searching for items to play with! {Spotted by JungleDragon moderator, Ludo Sak} #JungleDragon" Posted 4 years ago