North American River Otter
(Lontra Canadensis lataxina)

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivoria
Family: Mustelidae
Genus: Lontra
Species: Canadensis

Otters have flaps in their nostrils and ears that shut to keep water out when they swim. They can stay under water for up to five minutes. Otters will sometimes swim in circles, creating a whirlpool that will bring up fish on the bottom of the river. Unlike other otter species, river otters capture their prey with their mouth instead of forepaws. Otter populations continue to decline as a result of water pollution, over fishing, and habitat destruction. However, reintroduction efforts have brought them back to several interior US states.

North American river otters live in a variety of habitats, but they mostly live in wooded areas near streams, rivers, lakes and ponds. An otter's diet consists primarily of fish and crayfish, but can also include mice, frogs, salamanders, and insects. North American river otters range from solitary to highly social in their behavior. They are normally solitary, only pairing up for a short while during the breeding season.

Knoxville Zoo is home to two female otters, Trouble and Mischief, and one male otter, Maverick.