You have come upon an otter. Otters are from the weasel family. Otters have small closeable nostrils and closeable ears. Their eyes are near the top of their head. Otters also have sensitive whiskers. Their belly can be cream, brown or gray. They can weigh up to 30 pounds. Their length from head to tail is 2-4 feet long. They have short legs and they can pull their claws into their paws part way.

Otters are found in the Adirondacks, and in parts of Canada They live in burrows. They also live in rivers, streams and ponds.

They eat crayfish, fish, trout, insects, small mammals, crabs, frogs, snails, and snakes. They hunt for their food on land and in the water. Otters can live up to twenty years in the wild.

Otters have many enemies. Hunters kill them for their pretty fur. Bald eagles, bears and coyotes are also their enemies.

These are some interesting facts about otters. They hunt mostly alone. Otters sleep on their back. Otters can dive as deep as 180 feet. They are active at night. During the day they rest in underground dens. They clean their fur with their front paws, that keeps their fur waterproof.