- Where to see one
- 3 U.S. zoos in our directory hold spotted-necked otter, confirmed against each zoo's own animal list.
Conservation status
Not Evaluated
This species has not been assessed for the IUCN Red List, so it sits outside the threat scale entirely.
About the spotted-necked otter
The spotted-necked otter is a small otter of lakes and larger rivers in sub-Saharan Africa. Its coat is chocolate to reddish brown, with creamy or white blotches across the chest and throat. It has webbed paws, a long muscular tail and teeth suited to gripping fish. It hunts alone during the day, by sight, using short dives of less than 20 seconds in clear water, and eats mainly fish under 20 cm long, along with frogs and small crustaceans. It rarely strays more than 10 m from the water, rests overnight in short burrows or rock crevices, and is very vocal, giving thin whistles and shrill chatters.
Spotted-necked Otter facts
- It does not venture into salt water.
- Its jaw joint fits so snugly that the lower jaw cannot move sideways, which helps it capture and hold fish.
- Males are noticeably larger than females, at 5.7 to 6.5 kg against 3.0 to 4.7 kg.
- Mothers care for their young, born blind and helpless, for almost a year.
Where to see spotted-necked otter in the U.S.
3 zoos across 3 states
Find the closest one
Rank the 3 zoos holding spotted-necked otter by how far they are from you. Your location is used in your browser to sort this list and is never sent to us.
AZAThe Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Accredited members have passed an independent inspection of animal care and welfare, safety, conservation and education, repeated every five years. Many smaller facilities never apply, so “not accredited” isn't a verdict on its own. What accreditation means · How we check this
Built from each zoo's own published animal list.
