The Bedford Estates, LondonCome rain or shine, you will always find semi-aquatic animals living their life to the fullest within the water. The Asian short-clawed otters and California sea lions who live at Woburn Safari Park are no exception!
Recently, we used an underwater go-pro to capture some awesome footage of these species within the Park, hoping to spot their natural aquatic adaptations from a whole new perspective.
First to investigate the new underwater camera was Beatrix and Kovu, a male and female pair of Asian short-clawed otters, who live within their specially designed habitat called Otter Falls. Intrigued by what had joined them for their swim, the otters were quick to show off their skills underwater!
Asian short-clawed otters are found in rivers and creeks across Asia, spending over 50% of their time in the water as amphibious mammals. They use their sensitive whiskers to locate prey in murky waters, while their tail acts as a rudder for effective underwater steering. They could be seen sliding through the water with little resistance, due to their long slim body, tapered snout and natural oil coating which makes them perfectly streamlined!
The pair also have short and small claws, which they are named after. Once the pair had finished swimming around during their underwater feed, they began searching the long grass for any leftover yummy shellfish they had missed. They could be seen using their small claws to do this, which naturally help them search through mud, water and small rocks with ease.
Next, we headed over to Sea Lion Beach to see what California sea lion half-sisters, Kira and Leoni, thought of the new underwater camera! Interestingly, they didn't pay much notice to our underwater tech - as they were much more interested in the plenty of yummy fish being provided by keepers.
Fortunately, this gave us a chance to view their specialist adaptations from a whole new angle, as the camera captured the pair moving swiftly underwater to catch the fish in their mouths.
California sea lions swim using their fore-flippers and can reach speeds of up to 25mph. Not only this, but their powerful flippers also allow them to run faster than a human on land! In addition, they can naturally slow their heart rate when diving, which allows them to remain underwater for long periods. We spotted them using their long, sensitive whiskers to locate the fish in their enclosure with ease - by feeling for vibrations in the water.
See these semi-aquatic mammals for yourself
There is plenty to learn and discover about these playful and highly skilled species. Come along and visit them within the Foot Safari at Sea Lion Beach and Otter Falls, or get closer to the action at our keeper talks and demonstrations!