The Wonders of God’s Creation
The land-otter is a streamlined, beautiful animal, wearing a thick, warm fur coat. It has a slim body, about three feet long, and it weighs ten pounds or more. It is found throughout Canada, Alaska and the United States.
With whiskers and bright active eyes, this is one animal that seems to have been given the ability to really enjoy life. It acts as though it didn’t have a care in the world. It loves to play all kinds of games with other otters, even wrestling and playing hide-and-seek together. Just about any loose item it comes across becomes a plaything. They are famous, too, for making smooth slides down mud or clay banks into the water. Both young and old alike spend hours gliding down these slides. They seem to enjoy the sensation and the cool hath at the end of the slide. On snow they sometimes make a quick run, then fold their legs under them for a fast, exciting slide on their smooth stomachs, just as a boy or girl might do with a sled.
Their homes are usually dug in the bank of a pond or river, the entrance being under water, but the living area is high and dry and lined with grass. Sometimes they will use an abandoned burrow of some other animal. Four or five “pups” (as their babies are called) will be born each year. Water is the otter’s natural home, but even so, the “pups” have to be taught to swim. They soon become very skillful at it and easily catch fish and small water animals for their food. Their diet also includes crawfish, frogs, and a snake or two.
This pretty animal does have enemies, such as coyotes, foxes, badgers, etc., but is so fast on its feet that it can only be caught when taken by surprise. If a fight results, it usually gets the best of its enemies, because it has very sharp teeth and claws.
Their habits are certainly amusing, and we can’t help but envy how happy they are in their way of life. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if human beings could live together in such a happy way? Sorry to say, the human race seldom does so, because of the evil nature that lives within us. Satan takes advantage of it in every possible way. Scripture refers to us as “fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath.” Ephesians 2:33Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. (Ephesians 2:3).
When we know this One as our own personal Saviour, we receive a new nature and can say with the Psalmist: “But let all those that put their trust in Thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy,... let them also that love Thy name be joyful in Thee.” Psalms 5:1111But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee. (Psalm 5:11).
(In the next issue we hope to look into the life of the Sea-Otter, a close relative of the Land-Otter.)
ML-02/08/1981