The giant otter is a piscivore (an animal that eats primarily fish). Sea otters eat about 20-30% of their body weight each day. Diet. Otters will mainly feed on fish (40-90% of their diet)and will take a variety of species depending on the time of year, species such as carp, stickleback and eels. As is the case with many species, Eurasian otters tend to live longer in captivity than in the wild. As for its life expectancy, the otter can live for up to between eight and fifteen years in the wild. Specifically they feed on mostly catfish, perch and characins but also eat small snakes, caimans and crustaceans. They primarily eat marine mammals including seals, sea lions, walruses, baleen whales, other toothed whales, and occasionally sea otters. In captivity, diets can vary somewhat but need to provide a lot of basic nutrients. To sustain a captive population of Asian small-clawed otters, the nutritional needs of the species must be met. Asian small-clawed otters use their forepaws rather than their mouth to locate and capture food items. However, some otter … They have also been known to eat aquatic plants and to prey on other small mammals, such as muskrats or rabbits.They have a very high metabolism, so they need to eat frequently. Otter live to around 12 years old in the wild, and longer in captivity. Incomplete webbing between the toes gives them a great deal of manual dexterity. Otters in captivity are often seen juggling like this. In the wild the otters eat primarily crustaceans and mollusks but will also eat fish, insects, amphibians and reptiles. Diet. River otters eat a variety of aquatic wildlife, such as fish, crayfish, crabs, frogs, birds’ eggs, birds and reptiles such as turtles. What do otters eat? So, a 50-pound otter would need to eat about 10-15 pounds of food per day. River otters eat mostly frogs, crabs, crayfish, fish and mollusks. In the wild, they mostly eat fish, while sea-dwelling otters use stones to break open mollusks. Sea otters have a high metabolic rate (that is, they use a high amount of energy) that is 2-3 times that of other mammals their size. The two breeds have different diets, where Asian small-clawed eat shellfish and crabs while smooth-coated otters prey on fish. Despite popular belief, otters don’t feed on berries and plants. However, in captivity, they can live for up to twice as long. At the Zoo, the two giant otters receive 4 pounds of fish a day (catfish, tilapia and trout). During the spring months amphibians form a large part of their diet. The otters also ranged in age between three months and 19 years old. The transient ecotype in the eastern North Pacific hunt marine mammals including sea otters. In captivity, that number increases slightly to the late teens. Otters weigh 35-90 pounds (males weigh more than females). 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