Eurasian otter

Unlike harbour seals, otters do not have an insulating layer of blubber. Their fur, on the other hand, provides otters with effective insulation against the cold and damp. The hairs are interlocked with one another by microscopic grooves and barbs. This dense fur weave traps insulating air bubbles and repels water. In this way, the otter’s skin remains dry. 

After the otter was eradicated from Switzerland in the second half of the 20th century (1989), there is now growing evidence that this aquatic mammal is returning to Switzerland. Since 2009, reliable evidence of wild otters has been found in Switzerland every year.