Oxygen Consumption of the Eurasian Otter Lutra lutra in Relation to Water Temperature
Abstract
Oxygen consumption (V̇o2) was measured in three captive Eurasian otters (Lutra lutra L.) at rest out of water and at rest and at different levels of activity in water of different temperatures. Irrespective of behavior, variation in water temperature (Tw; °C) accounted for 55% of the variation in V̇o2 (mL O₂ [kg · min]⁻¹): V̇o2 = 36.0 − 1.2 Tw. Behavior (resting, swimming quietly, or vigorous activity) explained an additional 14% of variation. Behavior was itself dependent on temperature: activity increased when water temperature decreased. Differences in V̇o2 between individual otters could be explained almost entirely in terms of behavior. We conclude that the metabolic rate of otters is strongly affected by water temperature. This has implications for animals foraging for different lengths of time at varying prey densities. The resting metabolic rate (RMR) in air was 3.2 W · kg⁻¹ (9.50 mL O₂ [kg ·min]⁻¹), which is high for mammals of this size (as in other mustelids) but which is somewhat lower than that for the sea otter.
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River otters have a high basal metabolism relative to similarly sized mammals.
“River otters have a high basal metabolism relative to similarly sized mammals (Kruuk et al. 1994; Ben‐David et al. 2000), and thermo‐regulation in water is their primary source of energy expenditure while foraging (rather than locomotion) (Kruuk et al. 1997; Pfeiffer and Culik 1998).”
From River Otter Predation of Nesting Seabirds Along the Coasts of North America (2025) · cites this paper as Kruuk et al. 1994
Cites
One-step N2-dilution technique for calibrating open-circuit VO2 measuring systems
Fedak, M. A., Rome, L., & Seeherman, H. J. (1981) · Journal of Applied Physiology · doi:10.1152/jappl.1981.51.3.772 · Cited by 337 · see citing works
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River Otter Predation of Nesting Seabirds Along the Coasts of North America
Stuntz, L., & Orben, R. A. (2025) · Ecology and Evolution · doi:10.1002/ece3.72118
“River otters have a high basal metabolism relative to similarly sized mammals (Kruuk et al. 1994; Ben-David et al. 2000), and thermo-regulation in water is their primary source of energy expenditure while foraging (rather than locomotion) (Kruuk et al. 1997; Pfeiffer and Culik 1998).”
- Authors
- Kruuk, H., Balharry, E., & Taylor, P. T.
- Venue
- Physiological Zoology
- Publisher
- University of Chicago Press
- Published
- 1994-09
- Volume
- 67
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 1174-1185
- ISSN
- 0031-935X (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2314842438
- Cited by
- 28
- References
- 1
- Citations by year
- 2025: 2 · 2024: 3 · 2021: 1 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 2 · 2015: 1 · 2014: 1
- FWCI
- 0.59
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Physiological Zoology (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Physiological and biochemical adaptations
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Marine animal studies overview
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies
- Keywords
- Lutra lutra, oxygen consumption, water temperature, resting metabolic rate, foraging behavior, activity level, Mustelidae
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