Unlike muskrats or beavers, the otter barely makes a ripple when swimming or splash when diving. Their specially built ears and nose have a valve-like skin that closes and keeps the otter watertight underwater. The otters nose is diamond shaped, with two nostrils at the bottom of the nose. Otters communicate with their noses, mainly by smelling marked territories. When they do talk, it is with chirps, chuckles, grunts, whistles and screams.
River otters are most active from early evening through early morning.
They are active all year, even in the cold Alaskan winters. Otters' webbed and clawed feet are good for running and swimming. River otters can run up to 15-l8 mph. River otters are three to four feet long and weigh 15 to 25 pounds. They live up to 25 years in captivity and about 15 years in the wild.