What Is the
Mystery Image Contest?
The Mystery Image Contest offers the chance to identify a science-related object based on a close-up picture of it.
This is a North American river otter (Lontra canadensis), a species of mammal that lives in river, lake, swamp, and estuary ecosystems all over Canada and the United States. Their preferred diet consists of fish and other small aquatic creatures like frogs and crayfish. Though river otters live on land, they are well adapted for spending long periods in water: they have water-repellent fur and webbed toes; can hold their breath for up to eight minutes; can close their nostrils and ears while underwater; and have special additional transparent eyelids that they can close while underwater to protect their eyes. Though river otters are not considered endangered, they have been subject to habitat loss since the European colonization of North America. River otters are also very sensitive to pollution and will quickly move to other areas if their habitat becomes polluted.
This image is of a North American river otter.
Keenan Adams, US Fish & Wildlife Service
Jack
Imlay City School
Imlay City, MI
Science NetLinks Mystery Image Contest Rules and Regulations
The Mystery Image Contest offers the chance to identify a science-related object based on a close-up picture of it.