Giant otters have a sleek, dark brown body, webbed feet and a flat, paddle-shaped tail that helps them steer through the water. Their velvety fur is waterproof and so dense that it traps a layer of air to keep them warm. Under their chin they each have a unique white or cream-coloured patch — scientists use these patches like name tags to tell individuals apart.
A giant otter family works as a team. Adults fish together, herding fish into shallows or against the bank, while the whole group chatters loudly — shrieking, humming and snorting. They eat an enormous amount: up to three kilograms of fish each, every day. The family shares a territory along a stretch of river and marks it with latrines (toilet spots) and flattened areas called campsites, where they rest and groom each other.
Giant otter pups are born helpless and fluffy, and the whole family helps raise them. Older siblings babysit, carry food for pups, and groom them. The pups learn to swim from about two months old, often being dragged into the water by impatient parents! By about nine months they can fish on their own.
Giant otters were once hunted heavily for their beautiful fur and nearly disappeared. Today they are protected, and Guyana's remote waterways are a stronghold for them. Seeing a family of giant otters racing along a river, calling to each other and leaping in and out of the water, is one of the most exciting wildlife experiences in South America.