The playful North American river otter is equally at home in the water and on land. It makes its home in a burrow near the water's edge, and can thrive in river, lake, swamp, or estuary ecosystems.

"Sea otters," says marine biologist Jim Bodkin, " have absolutely the finest fur in the animal kingdom. If you've ever held one in your hands, you would know why. They have an incredibly dense and ...