SIZE: Length (including tail) 1,3 m, mass 14 kg.
COLOUR: Light greyish-brown to very dark brown, with
a silvery sheen. Cheeks, snout, throat and chest are
white and the ears have a whitish edge.
GESTATION PERIOD: 9 weeks
POTENTIAL LONGEVITY: 16 years
MOST LIKE: The Spotted-Necked Otter, which is the
only other species of otter in southern Africa. The
Cape clawless otter is longer, very much heavier and
lacks the neck spots of its cousin.
HABITAT: Grassland, scrub or forest in the vacinity
of rivers, streams, lakes, swamps, dams and marine
estuaries. Also rock pools along certain parts of
the coast. When they occur in coastal waters, a supply
of fresh water is an essential habitat requirement.
