{"id":9502,"date":"2021-09-17T11:33:07","date_gmt":"2021-09-17T11:33:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/?p=9502"},"modified":"2022-12-05T04:09:37","modified_gmt":"2022-12-05T09:09:37","slug":"beaver-vs-otter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/beaver-vs-otter\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is The Difference Between An Otter And A Beaver?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If you have a pond on your property or live near a body of water, you may begin to notice signs of wildlife living near the water. But is that creature you only caught a glimpse of an otter, a beaver, or something else? What is the difference between an otter and a beaver, and what are some of the ways you can tell them apart? Keep reading to find out more!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Otter Vs. Beaver Vs. Muskrat<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"otter
Otter<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Both otters and beavers have some similarities with each other as well as with the muskrat, a related animal<\/a>. If you were to see any of them from a distance, you might think they were all the same animal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you could get a little closer, though, you would find that they are not so difficult to tell apart after all. You just need to know what you\u2019re looking for.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

With that in mind, let\u2019s talk about some of the physical differences between otters, beavers, and muskrats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Otter<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Otters are long, thin, and athletically built. The shape of their body gives them a sleek, streamlined appearance and, as a result, they are exceptionally fast and graceful swimmers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

An otter\u2019s body shape is one of the easiest ways to tell it apart from beavers and muskrats, and its tail is another easy sign. Otters have long, rounded tails, and their tails are covered in short fur. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are also ways of telling whether an otter lives in the area just by looking around the area where it lives. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Check your local pond or stream for smooth areas going from the bank into the water. These smooth areas are known as \u201cotter slides\u201d and are caused by the otter frequently entering and exiting the water in the same spot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Otters may also leave behind areas of fish bones and scales because they tend to eat in the same spot over and over again.<\/strong> While they don\u2019t generally cause a lot of damage to the trees and wildlife of their habitats, otters eat lots of fish and may deplete the supply from their local pond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lastly, otters tend to be a lot noisier than beavers and muskrats. If you hear a lot of barking-type noises that don\u2019t sound like the neighborhood dogs, then there\u2019s a good chance you may have otters living in your area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beaver<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Beavers are the largest of the three animals; the average adult beaver weighs between 40 and 60 pounds. Beavers have a much rounder, less athletic shape than otters, and they don\u2019t swim nearly as fast. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beavers are known for the dams and lodges they build from rocks, logs, mud, and tree branches.<\/strong> Some of these structures can be incredibly extensive, like the one found in Alberta, Canada and discussed in the following video:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=btcS-_Wizp0<\/a>