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The Giant Otter: Giants of the Amazon Hardcover – April 19, 2019

by Jessica Groenendijk (Author)

5.0 12 ratings

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The aptly named giant otter is exceptionally well adapted to life in rivers, lakes and wetlands in tropical South America. Known in Spanish as lobo del rio or 'river wolf', it can be as long as a human is tall, and is the most social of the world's thirteen otter species. Each individual is identifiable from birth by its pale throat pattern, as unique as your fingerprint. Giant otters are top carnivores of the Amazon rainforest and have little to fear… except man.

There are many reasons why scientists and tourists alike are fascinated by this charismatic species. Spend a day in the life of a close-knit giant otter family and you’ll realize why. Learn about their diet and hunting techniques, marking and denning behavior, and breeding and cub-rearing strategies, including shared care of the youngest members. Become familiar with the complex life histories of individual otters over their 15-year lifespans. And accompany a young disperser during the trials and tribulations of a year spent looking for a mate and a home of its own.

Although giant otters have few natural enemies, they became the target of the international pelt trade in the 1940s, and by the early 1970s had been hunted to the brink of extinction. Today, illegal hunting is a minor hazard. So why is the giant otter still endangered? Find out about current threats to the species and discover how a variety of conservation actions are benefiting the otters over the last decades. Then be a part of the solution by acting on the steps we can all take to help further giant otter conservation.

Print length

144 pages
Language

English
Publisher

White Owl
Publication date

April 19, 2019
Dimensions

7 x 0.75 x 9.75 inches
ISBN-10

1526711745
ISBN-13

978-1526711748
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Jessica Groenendijk is a Dutch biologist with a passion for connecting people with nature. Her work has been published in BBC Wildlife Magazine, Africa Geographic, Earthlines, Earth Island Journal and Zoomorphic, amongst others. Her blog ‘Nature Bytes’ was Highly Commended in the International Category of the 2015 BBC Wildlife Blogger Awards and she is a Fellow of the International League of Conservation Writers. She was probably an otter in a previous life. Visit www.jessicagroenendijk.com or find her on Twitter and Facebook @WildWordsAuthor

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ White Owl (April 19, 2019)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 144 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1526711745
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1526711748
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.8 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7 x 0.75 x 9.75 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #3,223,332 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #905 in Endangered Species (Books)
- #3,587 in Biology of Wildlife
- #11,357 in Nature Conservation

Customer Reviews:
5.0 12 ratings

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Jack Mock

Informative, great photos

Reviewed in the United States on November 22, 2019

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Filled with excellent information and fantastic photos illustrative of each important otter fact!

One person found this helpful

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Wendy E. Townsend

A book to take you to the Amazon and fall in love with the giant otter

Reviewed in the United States on March 28, 2019

Jessica Groenendijk’s love for giant otters and their Amazon waterways makes her book, The Giant Otter, one of the finest on an animal species I have discovered. The author’s expertise in field observation and research are clear in the writing that is at once informative and accessible. Excerpts from her personal experiences and field notes strengthen the narrative even more.
The color photographs are more than beautiful portraits of otters and native wildlife; they join with the writing to tell the whole story of the giant otter. Early in the book we see the giant otter’s great size –he’s as long as we are tall-- and his fluid motion in the water, his strong, webbed hands that grip fish, and bright, inquisitive eyes, whiskers, little ears, and his mouth that is so expressive, especially when vocalizing. How could anyone not fall in love with these beings?
Through the author’s eyes, we come to know who giant otters are.
In her personal observations, Groenendijk writes with such sensual details that we are transported to the rainforest, to the sunlight breaking through mist after a long rain, and to the otter’s den, and the pungent smells of it. We meet a jaguar face-to-face and feel the eerie tension of accidentally trespassing in a vacated campsite belonging to indigenous humans.
We follow an otter family, Isla and Hueco and their children as they emerge from their den, scent-mark the “latrine,” and enter the water to hunt fish. We see the family climb up on a fallen tree to nap and groom each other, and then slip back in the water to play, and we see “alloparenting,” when an elder sibling teaches the youngest cubs hunting skills, comes to their aid when they make distress calls, and babysits in the den, while the parents are hunting. And we see how, one evening, Isla and Hueco’s elder son, Harpon, does not return to the den with his family, but spends the night alone.
Otters form monogamous pairs, and there’s no inbreeding in wild populations, hence the need for “dispersers,” like Harpon, who leave the security of their birth site to seek new territory and mate successfully. As the name suggests, a disperser carries his or her genes to new places, strengthening the species by starting a new family, or perhaps more often by enabling an existing one to stay intact by taking the place of a mate who has died.
The fourth chapter shows threats to the otter’s survival, including gold mining and mercury pollution of water and fish, habitat destruction by human activities, and the introduction of diseases of dogs and cattle.
Chapter five, “Saving the Giant Otter” cites reasons both ethical and economic in a thorough discussion of why protecting the giant otter matters. The discussion covers what field biologists and scientists are currently doing to advance conservation goals, “awareness-raising” and employment opportunities for local people, and also, statistical proof that managed ecotourism does help otters, people, and the forest. Emphasizing the absolute need for people to coexist with nature, the chapter closes with specific ways that everyone on the planet can help.

Nature writers must reach our hearts to illuminate our connection with wildlife. The Giant Otter joins the ranks of new literature that explores the lives of its animal subjects including their emotions, enabling us to feel that connection. The author says, “I am aware of the scientist’s mistrust of anthropomorphism, yet I firmly believe that animals other than ourselves experience emotions and sensations in ways that are both similar and different to ours, and that empathy and imagination only serve to increase our understanding of their worlds, while enriching our own.” Brava, Ms. Groenendijk. I look forward to your next book.

3 people found this helpful

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Roso

Almost like being there

Reviewed in the United States on June 10, 2019

We have otters here in Maine where I live, but as a kid I saw a National Geographic special about the giant otters of the Amazon and I have been captivated ever since. The Amazon, a place with pink dolphins otters that can easily grow to over five feet long. I decided some day I would see them in person. Sadly that dream has never come true, and at this point seems unlikely, so I was thrilled to come across this boon on these magical creatures. The descriptions of the otters, their habits and their homes along with tons of jaw dropping photographs, made me feel ( almost) like I was there myself. Treat yourself to a book that will transport you to a place like nowhere else on earth, where you explore the wilds of the Amazon from your own garden. Thanks to Pen & Sword for the review copy

One person found this helpful

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Christine P

A window into the world of the giant otter

Reviewed in the United States on December 21, 2019

This is a wonderful book -- it is at once a cohesive synthesis of giant otter natural history, an essential reference for any scientist interested in this elusive species, and a delightful exploration for the lay reader. Groenendijk, one of the top authorities on giant otters, weaves together the science with personal observations and narrative from the field, bringing the reader into the otter's world with all the sights, smells, and sounds of the Amazon. Deftly written and richly illustrated with beautiful photographs of the "lobos del rio" (river wolves) and their environment. If you're intrigued by the Amazon, or just love otters, you'll be delighted with this journey into the world of the giant otter.

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Dr. Jerry Haigh

The ultimate Giant Otter book

Reviewed in the United States on August 19, 2020

The writing is sublime. The photos are wonderful. The threats to wildlife all over the globe are much the same as those impacting the future of this charismatic animal. The chapter on the future and efforts to educate folks who share territory with them is a vital part of the work. This the sort of book that is hard to put down. Coffee breaks may get too long and a reader may find that normal sleep time at night is much delayed. 2.30 am is way past my bedtime. Jerry Haigh, Wildlife veterinarian, author and storyteller.

One person found this helpful

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Wordchaser

Breathtaking Knowledge

Reviewed in the United States on October 24, 2019

This is an extraordinary book, filled with the sights, sounds and smells of the Amazon. The author’s admiration for giant otters, for all creatures, is evident on every page. Her knowledge of these animals is breathtaking, and she shares this knowledge with skill and ease. Many thanks to a first-rate author for taking us on this wondrous journey.

One person found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

Andy Coventry

Amazon Otters

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 10, 2019

Verified Purchase

Wow. A beautifully written book on Amazonian Otter. Full of useful information and stunning photography. Highly recommended.

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