An Otter's Symbolism: Power, Peace, Family & More - Research Paper

Introduction

An otter is a symbolism of power and spirit animal which seemingly conveys a happy living but got a more profound meaning beyond human experiences. An otter mostly lives in water, and its love for water is revitalizing life energy and the trauma it can pause (Lyanda 6) This animal is a symbol of peace, family, and friendship as well as being social, kind and mischievous. It is also a symbol of empathy, happiness, grace, and a lasting curiosity. Spiritually, it may mean sacrificing own happiness, time, and independence, the pride, to be playful, inventive, and social. Having an otter in a dream signifies joy, playfulness and fortunes, and the ability to uphold a positive attitude throughout even if faced by contravening situations in life (Sharp 228).

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This animal otter is believed to have existed in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries in the coastal marine habitats of North California and Baja California in Mexico. Its population significantly decreased with the severe hunting that almost put its species into extinction by the early 1900s (Chamberlain 20). An otter is a carnivorous mammal in the family 'Mustelidae,' and Subfamily 'Lutrinae,' Class 'Mammalia,' Order 'Carnivora,' and Kingdom 'Animalia' with about 13 species either aquatic, semiaquatic or marine feeding on invertebrates and fish. Otter species are monogamous and are unlikely to mate in their entire life. The subfamily 'Lutrinae consists of badgers, weasels, honey badgers, minks, martens, wolverines, and polecats. There is a vast history of otter pets worn across the world. For instance, in China, the royal families wore robes made of otter pets as it was believed to be standard while in the United States, it is even illegal to domesticate indigenous otter as a pet. There are guidelines concerning the ability of exotic animals to be held in captivity that lies with the State's rule (Hansen 406).

An otter lives an averagely 25 years in captivity but can extend to 25 years unlike in the wild it lives only 8 to 9 years but can extend to 13 years maximum. An otter covers its eyes with paws while sleeping but a sea otter can groom their furs by the use of claws to keep its coat healthy and can use it hands to rub its hair down to trap air against its skin to keep warm. Pet otters are rare, and the dealers have high chances of making excess benefits when staking the prices. A pet otter goes at $3000 each. However, the majority of people find pet otters friendly creatures since they do not attack humans or other animals but can fight and bite if provoked. It is, therefore, necessary to take precautions when handling pet otters (Hansen 408). Otters weigh averagely 30 pounds and are about 4 feet in length. They have been in existence for at least 5 million years, according to the study of early fossil remains. They occupy very diverse places and small water bodies. However, the life of some of these species has been imposed to danger through hunting and destruction of their indigenous habitats that several of them lack enough food for survival or pollution of water around them that make them very ill (Hansen 405).

Otters can consume a maximum of 20% of their body weight every day, but when a nursing female, one consumes more this (Matisoff 558). They spent about five hours daily looking for food and have to explore new adaptation skills to find a variety of sources of food, and relocate to a new habit in case the natural habitat runs out of food. They are the smallest among the marine mammals and can stay underwater for four minutes though their anatomy can adopt them well on both land and water and this is why most researchers now holds the view that otters can adapt to their environmental changes ostensibly because they can evade the dangers imposed by their environment through relocation (Cheng 70).

Moreover, several otters are quite social with each other, and playful, thus shifting the interest of humans to them. They mostly climb hills and slide down them while wrestling with each other. They can also make tools from their habitats which they use to pay and protect themselves, but some live in various locations hence there is a need for adequate research about their survival skills, ability to adapt, human-threats and from other animals including their interaction with one another (Matisoff 557). Those otters in captivity tend to be beautiful but are expensive to care for. The research information from otter species in captivity has created some tension in the United States, particularly in North America, where the government feels that otters should not be in captivity unless there is a health issue that stops it from living independently. The idea of protecting otters has been in many instances though several species still wallow in danger while a section of them is considered vulnerable. With enough conservation measures in place, there seems to be an excellent chance for the survival of these creatures in the future (Sharp 225).

It is important to note that there various types of otters other than their species; they include Sea otter, European otter, African clawless otter, giant otter, and Northern river otter. The giant otter is the most popular otter of them all followed by African clawless otter depending on the attention it gets from others in different ways (Cheng 68). However, the remaining types of otters are small in size and are quite playful. Researchers believe that there are some other type otters out there that have not yet been discovered. Sea otter water possesses a lovely small round face and weighs up to a hundred pounds. They are found in the North Pacific Ocean but do not stay on land for long as they live far from the seashore. Their fun-loving traits make them personal favorites as they often roll, cover their eyes, and make some noise while sliding. They also sleep in the heat of the day and play in the afternoon (Matisoff 577). The male otters and female ones have sound varieties, especially when they want to breed during the spring. The female ones nurse the pulps for 6 to 8 months until they develop the right coat fur to allow them to dive for food on their own. The sea otter almost went extinct in 1911 with a population of less than 2000 remaining, but the conservation team came in their rescue. Fishermen often get upset and often cast nets that harm or injure otters because they believe otters consume fish that they would rather sell to get cash

African clawless otters are famous for their luxurious hair, which silky in appearance and texture. They do not have claws jus the name suggests but have the largest head of the species of otters that makes them distinct. They are ordinarily frequent in marine habitats and freshwater nearing forests, along with different areas in Africa. They can survive both in low temperate regions and warm waters but tend to love waters surrounded by foliage (Cheng 73). African clawless otters spend most of their time in the water to evade land predators such as eagles and Nile crocodiles. They are also playful and like playing with logs, among other items, to have fun. The most live alone or stays in a group of six, making territories with their powerful scent glands (Cheng 72). The African clawless otters usually feed on frogs, crabs, fish and worms and are swift in catching prey. They are thorough hunters and often use their whiskers in finding the primary source of food. Their hairs are more sensitive to any vibration around them, either on land or water. African otters usually mate in Decembers but stays apart with the opposite sex until the time for mating and immediately part ways afterward. The females their pups for about two months during which they are taught how to swim and eat fish. After one year, males leave their mothers to join male rafts around. However, the African clawless otters are the most endangered species of otters since they are hunted and their habitats destroyed by humans. They are offered protection in some parts of Africa but not so much (Matisoff 585). The fishermen also intentionally use nets that endanger the lives of these otters, and some people hunt them for pelts as well.

The European otter, which is also known as Lutra lutra, has a distinct appearance; it is brownish in its coat color, which is stripped white along its length, face and down the belly. It is even unique that these markings vary from one to another, making them different in the wild or captivity. They also tend to stay in freshwater bodies, as suggested by the name initially found in Europe. European otters are also available in some parts of Africa and Asia and were previously spotted in the Netherlands and Switzerland though they were wiped out (Matisoff 583). They also inhabit streams, lakes, and rivers but prefers freshwater since they rarely survive in a polluted environment.

European otters are the most territorial among the species of otters around the world. They protect up to 25 miles, but most of them own territories about 11 miles and both females and males cross the boundaries without any difficulty (Lyanda 8). European otters stay in the den during the day and hunts for food at night. They spend many hours searching for food in the night and gets the land through underground tunnels. European otters are fond of relocating their den regularly (Matisoff 580).

European otters have no specific season for mating, but the females are always readers for coupling after two years and males three years. They give birth to their offspring about 61 days from mating and sires about one to four pups, unlike other types of otters. These pulps feed on their mothers' milk for about one year but are only taken to the water about two months after birth.

Of late, the European otters are less threatened than they were in the 1950s. The conservation team came up with the rules and regulations to stop abolish illegal hunting of European otters, and the reduction in the use of pesticides also contributed to safeguarding the lives of European otters (Lyanda 11). However, there are still reported cases of illegal hunting of European otters due to lack of enforcement in the stricter laws though rewards for the people who report such cases have encouraged many to provide the information to the relevant authorities.

The other type of otter, which is also known as Pteronura brasiliensis has a very long body like that of a weasel; their varied sizes make them be confused with other types of animals. Giant otters are all over South America, but they like to stay in the freshwater streams and rivers. Giant otters are so much social, and they usually move in masses and retreat to their dens on land in the late evening (Sharp 226). They live in groups of about 20 members with complex hierarchy. For instance, the female with litter takes control of the rest. The males usually offer protection, notwithstanding the female ones. They feed on fish, small snakes, and crabs, but it is not clear how they carry out their reproduction though research suggests that stress can cause the females to run out of milk, which is familiar with all the mammals. The typical lifespan of a giant otter is 17 years for those in captivity and eight years for the wild (Sharp 227).

The giant otter is an endangered species with about 5000 of its population in the wild and 60 of them under residential care (Lyanda 18). Fishers are often advised to use nets that cannot trap or kill giant otters. Giant otters are quite expensive than the nets cost. Though many fishers still have not taken this precaution seriously.The other type of otter is the northern river otter, also known as Lontra Canadensis. They are incredibly long with sizeable large heads and dense hair. They have webbed feet, claws, and whiskers to adapt both on land and in water. Some are black, brown, and other golden (Lyanda 26). They fou...