Giant Otters of the Amazon

There is a special place in my heart for Otters.  They are large aquatic mustelids, closely related to weasels and wolverines.  I have been fascinated by them since I was a child. In the river, lake,  estuarial and marine shoreline habitats where they live, they are apex predators, so good at catching a meal that they have abundant time on their hands to play and goof around. Watching Otters being Otters is a total delight.

The link below is for a full length documentary about the giant river Otter, a species that is indigenous to South America and the Amazon river basin.  Giant Otters can be over six feet in length as adults. They are formidable predators, but like all species of Otters, they are also experts at playing and having fun.

This documentary was produced by British cinematographer, Charlie Hamilton James,  who has long had his own fascination with Otters.  

Charlie Hamilton James

 



I have great admiration for people like Charlie James.  It takes more than just skill with a camera to capture the kind of images and video footage that reveal the beauty of extraordinary species like the Otter. You have to love nature and the creatures that become your focus.  You have to be willing to spend countless hours in the wild places where they live and endure the worst kind of hardships and weather conditions. People like Charlie James provide the means for their audiences to truly appreciate the gifts of nature. There is no way to put a price on something like that.  



 

Here is a link to a You Tube presentation titled, Giant Otters of the Amazon... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYLb6X2Jy-8