Kloof Conservancy BioGuide - Cape Clawless Otter
Aonyx capensis subsp. capensis
Mass 10 -18kg
The Cape clawless otter is the second-largest freshwater species of otter. African clawless otters are found near permanent bodies of water in savannah and lowland forest areas. They range through most of sub-Saharan Africa, except for the Congo River basin and arid areas although today they appear to be surviving in meaningful numbers only in Southern Africa. They are characterized by partly webbed and clawless feet, from which their name is derived. They are part of the weasel family!
The otter’s body is elongated, sinuous and agile designed for active swimming. The dark-brown coat, consists of densely packed underfur and long guard hairs, and traps a layer of insulating air underwater. The lips, chin and throat are white. The long tail is heavy at the base tapering towards the tip. The limbs are short and stout. The forepaws are not webbed and the fingers are strong and dexterous for probing. The hindfeet have a small web and the middle two toes have short claws to assist with grooming.
Though mostly solitary animals, African clawless otters will live in neighbouring territories of family groups of up to five individuals. Each still having its own range within that territory, they mostly keep to themselves unless seeking a mate. Territories are marked using a pair of anal glands which secrete a particular scent. Each otter is very territorial over its particular range.
They feed on crabs, molluscs, fish, birds and a range of rodents and amphibians. They have an acute sense of smell and well-developed canines.
1 (sometimes 2) young are born throughout the year after a gestation period of ± 9 weeks. The female has 2 pairs of breast mammae.
Not found in the dry interior areas of the southern African subregion, as it generally prefers rivers, marshes, dams, lakes, estuaries and the intertidal zone.
African clawless otters can be found anywhere from open coastal plains, to semiarid regions, to densely forested areas. Surviving mostly in southern Africa, the otters live in areas surrounding permanent bodies of water, usually surrounded by some form of foliage. Logs, branches, and loose foliage greatly appeal to the otter as this provides shelter, shade, and great rolling opportunities. Slow and rather clumsy on land, they build burrows in banks near water, allowing for easier food access and a quick escape from predators.
Quick in the water and burrowing on land, the African Clawless Otter does not have many predators. Its greatest threat comes from the python, which will often lay in wait near or in the water. Other predators would include the crocodile (not in Kloof!) and fish eagles.
Not at all common in Krantzkloof. The scats can be easily confused with those of the Water Mongoose.
The photograph on this BioGuide is the only known photographic recording of a Cape Clawless Otter in the Kloof area.
There are stiff whiskers around the nose and muzzle. These tactile hairs are very sensitive and aid in locating prey.
Usayizi 130 cm
Imisa 10 - 18kg
Ukuphila 20 years
Umthini ungowesibili kwezinkulukazi kwizinhlobo zasemanzini ancwaba. Uhlobo lomthini lwase, Afrika lutholakala emzileni ongapheli wamanzi emathafeni kanye nasemahlathini asezindaweni ezimaphansi. Ahleleka kakhulu maphansi neSaharan Afrika, ngaphandle neCongo River ekuzinzeni kwayo kanye nasezindaweni ezomisile nakuba namuhla ebonakala ephila ngokwezinombolo eziqondakalayo eNingizimu Afrika kuphela. Anokudaleka namazwani ahlukeneyo nokuthi ezinyaweni amazipho ahlukene, lapho kuphuma amagama azo. Ayingxenye yomndeni wochakide.
Umzimba womthini welulekile, wakheka ngokugwegweza nokukhalipha ukuba ibhukude ngokushesha. Ibhantshi elinsundu ngokuphaphathekile, enziwa ukuhlangana kwezimpiko ezingaphansi noboya obude bokuvikela, kanye nokuhlobiseka kongwengwezi lokuvimbela umoya ngaphansi kwamanzi. Izindebe, isilevu kanye nengila kumhlophe. Isisila eside esisindayo ekucijeni kwesiqu kuya esihlokweni. Imilenze emifishane eqatha. Izinyawo zangaphambili azihlangene kanti iminwe inamandla nezingalo zokutitinya. Imilenze yangemuva zinokuhlangana kanti izinzwane ezimbili eziphakathi zinezinzipho ezimfishane futhi ezisiza ebuyenini.
Izilwane ezinobunzima bomzwangedwa, imithini yase Afrika ingaphila emibuthweni encikene nesixuku semindeni kuye kufinyelele kweyisihlanu ngamunye. Ngayinye isenakho ukuzihlela ngokwayo kuleyomibutho, zijwayele ukuzigcina ngaphandle kokucinga uzakwabo. Imibutho iqapheleka isebenzisa izindlala zombili ukufihla iphunga elithile. Elilodwa noma ngamunye umthini unokuphathelene ekuhleleni okuthize.
Usikhulukuthu emnlabeni kodwa umgwilingi emanzini, lezilwane zichitha izinsuku zibhukuda zithole ukudla. Zibuyela ngaphansi emigodini ukuze ziphephe, ziphole noma zizigudle otshanini nangamaqabunga. Isilwane esikhulu emanzini, imisila yazo isebenzisa emandleni okuhamba nokutshuza phakathi emanzini. Zibuye zisebenze ukuzimelela uma zihamba noma zihleli zithe thwa phezulu.
Zidla izinkalankala, izinkovu, izinhlanzi, izinyoni, kanye nezilwane ezihlala emanzini. Zinemizwa ebukhali yokuhogela namazinyo abukhali.
Ililodwa noma (amaili) ayazalwa kanye enyakeni emva kokumitha isikhathi esingaphezulu noma ngaphansi kwamasonto angu 9. Elesifazane linezimbanqa ezimbili zamabele okuncelisa.
Azitholakali ezindaweni ezomile zasemzansi ne-Afrika kwisiqalo sesifunda, njengaloku encamela imifula ngokwenjwayelo, amaxhaphozi, amachibi, amadamu, iziphethu kanye nezindawo ezimaphakathi.
Umthini wase-Afrika ungatholakala noma kulaphi kusuka osebeni olucacile, esiqalweni sesifunda, kumahlathi acinene. Aphila kakhulu emzansi ne-Afrika, umthini uphila ezindaweni ezizungezwe amachibi amanzi, ngenjwayelo ezizungezwe okwakhiwe amaqabunga. Izingodo, amagatsha, namakhasi aqhuthukile aphenduka abe indawo yokukhosela, umthunzi, kanye namathuba okugingqika. Ngokunensa kodwa kunokuba nokuphaphazela emhlabeni, zakha imigodi ezindongeni ezinduze namanzi, okuvumele ukuba ukudla kudlule kalula nokubaleka kalula kubahlaseli.
Ziyashesha emanzini nasezindaweni ezimigodi, kwiMthini yase-Afrika azinabahlaseli abaningi. Ukusabisa okukhulu kuqhamuka kwinhlwathi, enganokujwayela ukulala ilinde duze noma emanzini. Okunye okusabisa kungabala ingwenya, namanqe (lutho eKloof)
Azikho nhlobo eKrantzkloof. Amasalela awo kungalula ukuwadidanisa namaMongoose asemanzini
Isithombe esikwi BioGuide yiso kuphela esaziwa ngomshini
Kwaphila e-Afrika, inhlalo ingaba nokushisa okukhulu. Ukuphola kusho ukuchitha isikhathi emanzini, nokusebenzisa imigodi njengendlela yokubalekela izindawo ezinezinga eliphezulu lokushisa kosuku. Ukuhlala efudumele, ngakolunye uhlangothi, imthini ancika kuphela kuzimpaphe zazo eziyizibhukubhuku. Ivikelwe ziboya ezimboze umzimba, obusebenza njengesivikeli, uma umthini wangakwazi ukuvikelwa ungwengwezi lwamafutha omzimba, ukuphela kokufudumala okulethwa zimpaphe zayo ezibhantshi elisibhukubhuku.
Linezindevu ezigongobele ezizungeze ikhala kanye nempumulo. Leziboya zinokuzwela okukhulu kanti nokusiza ukubeka okubanjelwe ukudliwa.