Original Article: https://blog.theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/otters-learn-from-each-other/

When we find ourselves facing something new, we often turn to those around us to get a feel for what we’re doing. It turns out that otters do the same thing,

Researchers at the University of Exeter wanted to learn how Asian short-clawed otters overcome foraging challenges. To do so, they gave the animals puzzle boxes with familiar food, as well as unfamiliar natural prey. The study, published in the journal Royal Society Open Science, was undertaken with otters at Newquay Zoo and the Tamar Otter and Wildlife Centre.

Alex Saliveros, the study’s lead author from the Centre for Ecology and Conservation at the university’s campus in Penryn, says, “Much of research into the extractive foraging and learning capabilities of otters has focused on artificial food puzzles. Here, we were interested in investigating such skills in the context of unfamiliar natural prey, as well as in relation to artificial food puzzles.”

The puzzle boxes involved could be opened in several ways, including pulling a tab and opening a flap. They all visibly contained meatballs, food that the otters had eaten before. Unfamiliar foods included rainbow trout, which largely served as a control because it doesn’t have a protective covering, and two animals contained within shells: shore crabs and blue mussels.

Prior to the study, the researchers observed the animals to learn about their social structure and which of the otters interacted with each other. They then observed how each learned from the animals with which they had an association.

The team found that the otters watched how these close contacts reacted to determine if eating the unfamiliar food was a good idea. However, when it came to the protective covers, they worked them out themselves. Overall, 11 of the 20 otters in the study were able to get the meat from all the unfamiliar prey.

Saliveros says, “The captive otters in this study initially struggled with natural prey, but they showed they can learn how to extract the food. Our findings suggest that if you give one otter pre-release training, it can pass some of that information on to others.”

He explains that this information is helpful in understanding Asian short-clawed otters, which are declining in the wild. The more that can be learned, the better conservation plans and reintroduction methods can be developed.

Asian short-clawed otters are found in southern India, southern China, Southeast Asia, Indonesia and the Philippines. Their habitat includes rivers, marshes, coastal areas, and even rice paddies. They are currently listed as vulnerable, due to habitat destruction and a reduction in prey.

Source: The Animal Rescue Site Blog