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Otters in a temporary snow den

 

Our largest water-living predators; we can see them even in daytime in the winter, and such a meeting can be quite amusing, but the observer must stay as unnoticed as possible. The females now live with their young from last year. Coming from the den to the river they slide down the brinks in the fluffy snow, leaving a splendid gliding track. If there is no open water in the rapids, holes for entering the water are kept free from ice. After a swim they roll in the snow to dry the fur. The otters know how to enjoy winter.

 

For food they hunt fish and frogs hibernating in the bottom mud; a dive lasts less than a minute and they usually get up on the ice with the prey.