What semi-aquatic, fish eating mammal, related to the weasel, is prized for its fur and enjoyed for its playful nature?
"visitors – including small children – can enjoy an eye-level view of the otters as they swim. The North American river otter (Lontra canadensis) can weigh 20-30 pounds, and its slender, cylindrical body can reach 2–3 feet in length. The aquatic mammal sports short, dense, waterproof fur and profuse whiskers. The playful river otter is swift on land as well as in the water, though its loping trot can look somewhat ungainly compared to its graceful slide through the water. In March 2012, the population of three river otters was doubled when mother Whisker, 9, and father Lucius, 6, had"
"Fisher (animal) The fisher (""Pekania pennanti"") is a small, carnivorous mammal native to North America. It is a member of the mustelid family (commonly referred to as the weasel family), and is in the monospecific genus Pekania. The fisher is closely related to, but larger than the American marten (""Martes americana""). The fisher is a forest-dwelling creature whose range covers much of the boreal forest in Canada to the northern United States. Names derived from aboriginal languages include ""pekan"", ""pequam"", ""wejack"", and ""woolang"". It is sometimes misleadingly referred to as a fisher cat, although it is not a cat. Males"
"are short, furry animals with short, rounded ears and thick fur, but they differ markedly in size, habit and habitat. The sable, a species of marten, is prized for its fine fur, which along with ginseng and deer antler velvet, are known as the ""three treasures of Manchuria."" The sable is found in Manchuria (also called the Northeast) and Altai region of northern Xinjiang. The beech marten of western China and yellow-throated marten of southern China are closely related to the sable. The Siberian weasel, known locally as the ""yellow rat wolf,"" is the most common weasel in China. It"
"Wyvern A wyvern ( , sometimes spelled wivern) is a legendary creature with a dragon's head and wings, a reptilian body, two legs, and a tail often ending in a diamond- or arrow-shaped tip. A sea-dwelling variant dubbed the sea-wyvern has a fish tail in place of a barbed dragon's tail. The wyvern in its various forms is important to heraldry, frequently appearing as a mascot of schools and athletic teams (chiefly in the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada). It is a popular creature in European and British literature, video games, and modern fantasy. The wyvern in heraldry and"
"in several other books, including ""The Blood Jaguar"" (an animal shaman), ""Ereth's Birthday"" (a porcupine hunter) and in ""The Sign of the Beaver"", where a fisher is thought to have been caught in a trap. Fisher (animal) The fisher (""Pekania pennanti"") is a small, carnivorous mammal native to North America. It is a member of the mustelid family (commonly referred to as the weasel family), and is in the monospecific genus Pekania. The fisher is closely related to, but larger than the American marten (""Martes americana""). The fisher is a forest-dwelling creature whose range covers much of the boreal forest"
". Spending most of its time close to the sea floor, the sicklefin weasel shark is a specialist predator of cephalopods. Its reproductive mode is viviparous, in which the unborn young form a placental connection to their mother. Females probably give birth twice a year, with each litter consisting of two to four pups. The sicklefin weasel shark is widely caught by artisanal fisheries and used for meat, fins, and fishmeal; its low natural abundance and reproductive rate mean that it cannot sustain much fishing pressure. Given that fishing activity is intense throughout its range, the International Union for Conservation"
"other animal can also be observed, however. Playful human interaction with dolphins is one example, but playful interactions have been observed in the wild with a number of other species as well, including Humpback Whales and dogs. Oceanic dolphins are known to teach, learn, cooperate, scheme, and grieve. The neocortex of many species is home to elongated spindle neurons that, prior to 2007, were known only in hominids. In humans, these cells are involved in social conduct, emotions, judgment, and theory of mind. Cetacean spindle neurons are found in areas of the brain that are homologous to where they are"
"and might scavenge a carcass. Wolverine - Wolverines look like bears but are actually related to weasels. They are solitary creatures who may roam up to fifteen miles in one day looking for food. Although they will eat vegetation, wolverines prefer meat and are determined hunters. Common raven - One of the only three birds in the game, a common raven also leads you through the tutorial. Venture Arctic Venture Arctic is the second ecosystem simulation game to come from Pocketwatch Games. Following its predecessor """", this Arctic sequel combines educational value and entertainment. The game allows players to build"
"Weasel sportive lemur The weasel sportive lemur (""Lepilemur mustelinus""), also known as the greater sportive lemur, weasel lemur, or greater weasel lemur, is a species of lemur native to northeastern Madagascar. Its habitat includes rainforests and tropical rainforests. Its dorsal side is a reddish-brown colour, and greyish brown ventrally. Its colour darkens towards the tip of its tail. Individuals weigh from It has long, soft fur. It's body length is approximately and a tail length of . The weasel sportive lemur is predominantly a leaf-eater, although it supplements its diet with fruits and flowers. It is an arboreal species, and"
"fitted with muzzles were used to chase rabbits out of their warrens and into waiting nets. Ferret The ferret (""Mustela putorius furo"") is the domesticated form of the European polecat, a mammal belonging to the same genus as the weasel, ""Mustela"" of the family Mustelidae. They typically have brown, black, white, or mixed fur. They have an average length of including a tail, weigh about , and have a natural lifespan of 7 to 10 years. Ferrets are sexually dimorphic predators with males being substantially larger than females. Several other Mustelids also have the word ""ferret"" in their common names,"
"which wagers are placed (see Siamese fighting fish). Both sexes have lower jaws (mandibles) that are much longer than the upper ones, and from this comes the ""halfbeak"" name. ""Dermogenys"" feed extensively on small insects, either in the form of aquatic larvae or as flying insects that have fallen onto the surface of the water. They are important predators on insects such as mosquitoes, so play a role in controlling malaria. ""Dermogenys"" are live-bearing fish that practise internal fertilisation. The male is equipped with a gonopodium-like anal fin known as an andropodium that delivers sperm into the female. The gestation"
"native to salt marshes, this species is a competent swimmer and is tolerant of salt in its diet and water supply. It eats seeds and plants, especially pickleweed and glasswort, one of the most common salt marsh plant species. Similar species are the Plains Harvest Mouse, and the Fulvous Harvest Mouse, which has a longer tail. The species co-occurs with the similar Western harvest mouse, which tends to have dorsal fur that is more gray than ""R. raviventris"" and with ventral fur that is white to grayish; and the House mouse which is gray, has a scaly tail and incisors"
"both on the local and the world markets. A fur clothing store describes the sable fur as follows: ""It is difficult to describe Russian sable fur in words: almost weightless, silky, satin like, lustrous, sparkling, glistening, incredibly beautiful. In addition it is very warm and durable."" Sable continues to be the world's most valuable fur. The most sought-after sable furs in the world come from the Barguzin region of Siberia. The sable is a small mammal resembling a mix between a weasel and a cat. It feeds on pine nuts, mice, and squirrels and hunts mostly at night. The sable"
"such as dolphins, turtles and penguins. These animals have dark upper sides to match the ocean depths, and light undersides to avoid appearing dark against the bright sea surface. Mimesis is practised by animals such as the leafy sea dragon, ""Phycodurus eques"", and the leaf scorpionfish, ""Taenianotus triacanthus"", which resemble parts of plants, and gently rock their bodies as if swayed by a current. In the fish species ""Novaculichthys taeniourus"", the rockmover or dragon wrasse, there is a striking difference in appearance between the adults and the juveniles. A juvenile Rockmover resembles a loose piece of sea weed. It swims"
". Snakes are also taken occasionally, especially partially aquatic ones, as are amphibians and crustaceans (largely crayfish and crabs). To hunt fish, the eagle swoops down over the water and snatches the fish out of the water with its talons. They eat by holding the fish in one claw and tearing the flesh with the other. Eagles have structures on their toes called spicules that allow them to grasp fish. Osprey also have this adaptation. Bald eagles have powerful talons and have been recorded flying with a mule deer (""Odocoileus hemionus"") fawn. This feat is the record for the heaviest"
"beak. They are small and generally peaceful towards other species, although males can be aggressive to one another. ""Dermogenys pusillius"", the wrestling halfbeak, in particular fight vigorously. Battles may end in injuries. In some Asian countries gamblers bet on the outcomes, as they do with Siamese fighting fish. Some of the fresh and brackish water species are kept as ornamental aquarium fish, particularly genera ""Dermogenys"" and ""Nomorhamphus"", but also ""Hemirhamphodon"" and ""Zenarchopterus"", less commonly. To be kept successfully, halfbeaks require an aquarium with plenty of space at the surface. Depth is not critical, so a wide tank is better than"
"digesting its food, and disgorges only tiny pellets of fragmented bone, fur and feathers. A 2006 study of inland bodies of water around Canberra where wedge-tailed eagles and white-bellied sea eagles share territories showed little overlap in the range of prey taken. Wedge-tailed eagles took rabbits, various macropods, terrestrial birds such as cockatoos and parrots, and various passerines including magpies and starlings. White-bellied sea eagles caught fish, water-dwelling reptiles such as the eastern long-necked turtle and Australian water dragon, and waterbirds such as ducks, grebes and coots. Both species preyed on the maned duck. Rabbits constituted only a small fraction"
"other natural water sources. Since this habitat lies in an elevation range of it is classified as being in a ""cloud forest"" consisting of 100% humidity adding to the riparian habitat. ""M. felipei"" is a carnivorous mammal that preys primarily on fish, other small aquatic animals, and small terrestrial mammals. Hunting is aided by the use of webbed feet and camouflaged fur. ""Mustela felipei"" has been recognized by the IUCN as being vulnerable and having a decreasing population. However, due to rarity of sighting, and deforestation of known habitat it remains unclear as to the true numbers of individuals that"
"tail end. These small fins are almost completely transparent and difficult to see as they undulate minutely to move the creature sedately through the water, completing the illusion of floating seaweed. Popularly known as ""leafies"", it is the marine emblem of the state of South Australia and a focus for local marine conservation. Much like the seahorse, the leafy seadragon's name is derived from its resemblance to another creature (in this case, the mythical dragon). While not large, they are slightly larger than most seahorses, growing to about . They feed on plankton and small crustaceans. The lobes of skin"
"Hippopotamus The common hippopotamus (""Hippopotamus amphibius""), or hippo, is a large, mostly herbivorous, semiaquatic mammal native to sub-Saharan Africa, and one of only two extant species in the family Hippopotamidae, the other being the pygmy hippopotamus (""Choeropsis liberiensis"" or ""Hexaprotodon liberiensis""). The name comes from the ancient Greek for ""river horse"" (). After the elephant and rhinoceros, the common hippopotamus is the third-largest type of land mammal and the heaviest extant artiodactyl. Despite their physical resemblance to pigs and other terrestrial even-toed ungulates, the closest living relatives of the Hippopotamidae are cetaceans (whales, dolphins, porpoises, etc.) from which they diverged"
"recovered near rivers. Two subspecies are recognised: The Amazon weasel is rarely seen and little is known of its habits. They eat rodents and other small mammals, and have been reported to construct burrows in the stumps of hollow trees. They have been found from sea level to , and have been reported to swim in rivers or estuaries, sometimes far from the shore. Amazon weasel The Amazon weasel (""Mustela africana""), also known as the tropical weasel, is a species of weasel native to South America. It was first identified from a museum specimen mislabelled as coming from Africa, hence"
"see increased cannibalism and reduced parental care. This finding is attributed to the increased probability of sneaking. Scissortail sergeant The scissortail sergeant or striptailed damselfish (""Abudefduf sexfasciatus"") is a large damselfish. It earns its name from the black-striped tail and sides, which are reminiscent of the insignia of a military Sergeant, being similar to those of the Sergeant Major damselfish. It grows to a length of about . Scissortail sergeants live on coral reefs at depths of up to in tropical reaches, often living in a group surrounding a single head of coral. They are found on reefs in the"
"mammals that live on land. In the water, the sea otter has a denser coat. The chinchilla is named after the Chincha people of the Andes, who once wore its dense, velvet-like fur. By the end of the 19th century, chinchillas had become quite rare after being hunted for their ultra-soft fur. Most chinchillas currently used by the fur industry for clothing and other accessories are farm-raised. Chinchillas are sometimes kept as pets, and may be considered a type of pocket pet. The two living species of chinchilla are ""Chinchilla chinchilla"" (formerly known as ""Chinchilla brevicaudata"") and ""Chinchilla lanigera"". ""C."
"adapted to capture fish and squid. In contrast, baleen whales have evolved baleen plates to filter feed plankton and small fish from the water. Polar bears, otters, and fur seals have fur, one of the defining mammalian features, that is long, oily, and waterproof in order to trap air to provide insulation. In contrast, other marine mammals – such as whales, dolphins, porpoises, manatees, dugongs, and walruses – have lost long fur in favor of a thick, dense epidermis and a thickened fat layer (blubber) in response to hydrodynamic requirements. Wading and bottom-feeding animals (such as manatees) need to be"
"and tuna, to freshwater fish such as trout and carp. Birds such as partridges, pheasants and ducks, and mammals such as deer and wild boar, are among the terrestrial game animals most often hunted for sport and for food. Animals, often mammals but including fish and insects among other groups, have been the subjects of art from the earliest times, both historical, as in Ancient Egypt, and prehistoric, as in the cave paintings at Lascaux and other sites in the Dordogne, France and elsewhere. Major animal paintings include Albrecht Dürer's 1515 ""The Rhinoceros"", and George Stubbs's c. 1762 horse portrait"
"consumption of its flesh and fins which are much esteemed. It is caught using gillnets, trawls and longline fishing, either as bycatch or as a targeted species. It is not known whether the level of fishing is sustainable or whether the population is in decline. The IUCN has listed its conservation status of this shark as being ""data deficient"" and considers that further survey work needs to be done to assess population trends and catch sizes. Spotless smooth-hound The spotless smooth-hound (""Mustelus griseus"") is a species of houndshark, in the family Triakidae, found on the continental shelves of the northwest"
"somewhat shaggy crests. All have serrated edges to their long and thin bills that help them grip their prey. Along with the smew and hooded merganser, they are therefore often known as ""sawbills"". The goldeneyes, on the other hand, feed mainly on mollusks, and therefore have a more typical duck-bill. Mergus are also classified as ""divers"" because they go completely under-water in looking for food. In other traits, however, the genera ""Mergus"", ""Lophodytes"", ""Mergellus"", and ""Bucephala"" are very similar; uniquely among all Anseriformes, they do not have notches at the hind margin of their sternum, but holes surrounded by bone."
"that of a greyhound. It is possible that the fisher (""Pekania pennanti"") got its name from being mistakenly identified as the sea mink, which was also known as the fisher by fur traders. The Abnaki Indians referred to it as the ""mousebeysoo"", which means ""wet thing"". It was named ""sea mink"" because it was always found near the coast by fur traders, and subsequently the American mink was often referred to as the ""wood mink"". The sea mink was a marine mammal that lived around the rocky coasts of New England and the southernmost Maritime Provinces until hunted to extinction"
"Fin whale The fin whale (""Balaenoptera physalus""), also known as finback whale or common rorqual and formerly known as herring whale or razorback whale, is a marine mammal belonging to the parvorder of baleen whales. It is the second-largest species on Earth after the blue whale. The largest reportedly grow to long with a maximum confirmed length of , a maximum recorded weight of nearly , and a maximum estimated weight of around . American naturalist Roy Chapman Andrews called the fin whale ""the greyhound of the sea ... for its beautiful, slender body is built like a racing yacht"
"is caught by artisanal fishers throughout its range, mostly in drifting and bottom gillnets, but also in bottom trawls and on longlines. The meat is eaten, the fins are used in shark fin soup, and the offal is processed into fishmeal. However, the small size of this shark limits its economic value. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has assessed the sicklefin weasel shark as vulnerable, noting that it is naturally uncommon and resides in heavily fished regions. In addition, compared to the related Australian weasel shark, it is less productive, thus less resilient to withstand fishing pressure."
"land. The echidnas are named after Echidna, a creature from Greek mythology who was half-woman, half-snake, as the animal was perceived to have qualities of both mammals and reptiles. Echidnas are medium-sized, solitary mammals covered with coarse hair and spines. Superficially, they resemble the anteaters of South America and other spiny mammals such as hedgehogs and porcupines. They are usually black or brown in colour. There have been several reports of albino echidnas, their eyes pink and their spines white. They have elongated and slender snouts that function as both mouth and nose. Like the platypus, they are equipped with"
"not wild-colored. Mink Mink are dark-colored, semiaquatic, carnivorous mammals of the genera ""Neovison"" and ""Mustela"", and part of the family Mustelidae which also includes weasels, otters and ferrets. There are two extant species referred to as ""mink"": the American mink and the European mink. The extinct sea mink is related to the American mink, but was much larger. The American mink is larger and more adaptable than the European mink but, due to variations in size, an individual mink usually cannot be determined as European or American with certainty without looking at the skeleton; however, all European mink have a"
"below the second dorsal fin. Feeding almost exclusively on octopuses and other cephalopods, the Australian weasel shark mostly hunts near the sea floor. It is viviparous, with the developing embryos nourished through a placental connection and born after a six-month gestation period. This species is productive for a shark, with females bearing litters of 1–19 pups usually twice per year. The Australian weasel shark is caught by trawl and to a lesser extent gillnet and longline fisheries, though not in such numbers that its population is threatened. Thus, it has been listed as Least Concern by the International Union for"