Giant Otter
Pteronura brasiliensis 
Makushi name: Turara 
Creole name: Water Dog 
Size: body= 1 m; tail= 60 cm; weight= 30 kg 
Description: Large; low, streamlined profile. Rich chocolate brown above and below with cream-white markings on the throat and chin. Feet webbed; tail thick at base, flattened into a paddle toward tip. River Otter is smaller with a pale belly. 
Activity: Diurnal; semiaquatic. 
Habits: This otter is usually seen in groups of five or more, consisting of an adult pair and young of different ages. Offspring remain with their parents for several years. The group sleeps at night in a burrow on the riverbank, the burrow entrance is above water. These otters are always found close to rivers or other large bodies of water. The diet consists mainly of fish; caiman and other animals found close to water may be consumed occasionally. Fish are usually held on the chest and eaten in the water, but may be dragged to a bank If disturbed in the water, the entire group will crane their heads up and snort sharply. Undisturbed groups are noisy, humming and whining to each other, or squealing in dispute. The social nature, diurnal habits, and limited habitat of this species have made it an easy target for hunters who kill it for fur and because it eats fish. It has been eliminated from many large rivers. 
Habitat: Along large bodies of water (rivers, lakes, and flooded areas) in remote regions. 
Signs: Tracks are similar to River Otter, but larger (about 100 mm wide), tail leaves clear drag marks; burrows on banks with conspicuous trampled areas and slides into the water; smelly scat and fish scales near burrow entrance. 
Status: Although uncommon in most of its range, it is seen with some regularity in parts of Iwokrama that are far from human influence. Listed on CITES Appendix I. IUCN rank of Vulnerable. 
Distribution in Iwokrama