Species · GBIF taxon 2433737
Marine Otter
Lontra felinaAlso known as Chungungo, Gato Marino, Sea Cat, Huallaque
Marine otters are the smallest marine mammals in South America, spending their lives navigating the wave-swept rocky shorelines of the Pacific coast. They are highly agile swimmers but rest, breed, and rear their young in dry caves and crevices just above the high-tide line. Unlike their freshwater relatives, they rarely venture inland, relying entirely on the cold, nutrient-rich waters of the Humboldt Current for sustenance.
MarineEndangeredCarnivore
Licensed reference(c) Sakura1994, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
- diet
- Crabs, shrimp, mollusks, and rocky-shore fish
- family
- Mustelidae
- threats
- Habitat loss, water pollution, poaching, and entanglement in fishing gear
- life Span
- 10 to 12 years in the wild
EN
Capable of a defensive bite if cornered; observe quietly from a safe distance.
Listed as Endangered due to severe habitat fragmentation, coastal development, and accidental drowning in gillnets.
Maintain a distance of at least 50 meters and never block their access to the water or nesting caves.- Scan rocky shorelines: Look for them basking on sun-warmed rocks or swimming in the surf zone near kelp forests.
- Keep your distance: Avoid approaching sea caves or rocky crevices where they may be nesting or resting.
- Listen for high-pitched whistles: They use sharp, bird-like chirps to communicate over the sound of crashing waves.