What is the Difference Between Otter and Beaver

The main difference between otter and beaver is that otters have long, streamlined bodies covered in dense, short fur, while beavers have a more robust and bulky appearance with a rounded body covered in thick, brown fur and a large, flat tail.

Although both otters and beavers look somewhat like and live in water, they have distinctive differences. Otters are carnivorous animals, whereas beavers are herbivorous animals.

Key Areas Covered

1. Otter  
     – Facts, Features, and Behavior
2. Beaver
     – Facts, Features, and Behavior
3. Similarities Between Otter and Beaver
     – Outline of Common Features
4. Difference Between Otter and Beaver
     – Comparison of Key Differences

Key Terms

Beaver, Otter

Difference Between Otter and Beaver - Comparison Summary

Otter – Facts, Features, and Behavior

Otter is a water mammal with brown fur and four legs. It is a carnivore, and its primary food source is fish. Besides eating fish, they take sea urchins, crabs, and mussels as food. Sea Otters are charming and adorable animals. Moreover, there are around thirteen different types of otters around the world. However, there are slight differences between the different species of otters. Sea otters and North American sea otters live in the United States. River otters are much smaller than the sea otters. Around 90% of sea otters in the world live in coastal Alaska.

Compare Otter and Beaver - What's the difference?

Furthermore, the otters have the ability to dive deep as 25 feet. They dive deep to find food, and their sensitive whiskers help them to locate small prey. Sea otters breed at any time of the year, and a newborn pup needs continuous attention and care from its mother for six months until it gets survival skills. Moreover, sea otters are one of the few animals that use tools. They use rocks as tools to break their prey and take the flesh out.

Otters face the issue of being hunted, and there are international laws to protect sea otters. Sea otters in the United States received additional protections with the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

Beaver – Facts, Features, and Behavior

Beavers are among the largest rodents in the world. They are famous for building dams across the rivers. Beavers build dams using lodges, tree branches, vegetation, rocks, and mud. They chew down trees to build the dams. By blocking rivers, they create the wetlands they need. Thus, they are capable of changing ecosystems as well. Beavers are hunted for their fur, meat, and castoreum. Nevertheless, they rebounded with protection laws and acts in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Otter vs Beaver

Moreover, there are two different types of species of beavers: North American beaver and Eurasian beaver. Beavers are herbivores animals. The average lifespan of beavers is 24 years, and their average weight is 11-32 kg. The tail of a beaver is broad, flat, oval-shaped, and covered with black scales. Beavers do not find different partners for mating. Their offspring helps them when building dams. They get together with the family and make dams across the rivers to have their habitats.

Similarities Between Otter and Beaver

  • Otters and beavers live in water.
  • Also, both animals have fur on their bodies.

Difference Between Otter and Beaver

Definition

Otters are water mammals with brown fur and four legs, while beavers are among the largest rodents in the world.

Family

Although otter belongs to the family Mustelidae, beaver belongs to the family Castoridae.

Food

Although sea otters are carnivores, beavers are herbivores.

Body

Otters have long, slim bodies, whereas beavers have rounded bodies with thick fur.

Tail

Moreover, otters have long, sleek tails that they use for propulsion when swimming, while beavers have flat, wide tails that they use for swimming and for slapping the water to communicate.

Reproduction

Although otters find new partners for the season, the beavers do not find new partners.

Weight

Beavers are larger than otters, with a higher average weight.

Lifespan

The average lifespan of an otter is 10 years, whereas the average lifespan of a beaver is 24 years.

Lodge

Beavers build lodges out of sticks and mud to live in, while otters do not build lodges and typically use dens or burrows.

Conclusion

Otters have long, streamlined bodies covered in dense, short fur, while beavers have a more robust and bulky appearance, with rounded bodies covered in thick, brown fur and a large, flat tail. In addition, otters are carnivorous animals, whereas beavers are herbivorous animals. Thus, this is the main difference between otter and beaver.

Reference:

1. “Otter.” Wikipedia. Wikipedia Foundation.
2. “Beaver.” Wikipedia. Wikipedia Foundation.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Fischotter, Lutra Lutra” By Bernard Landgraf – Own work(CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “American Beaver” By Steve from Washington, DC, USA – American Beaver (CC BY-SA 2.0) via Commons Wikimedia

About the Author: Gerandielle

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