What is the scientific name of the giant otter found in the Amazon Rainforest?

The giant otter found in the Amazon Rainforest is scientifically named Pteronura brasiliensis.

This South American mustelid is the longest member of the weasel family, with adults reaching roughly 1.5 to 1.8 metres including the tail. It lives in rivers, oxbow lakes, and other freshwater habitats across parts of the Amazon and neighboring South American basins.

Giant otters are highly social and commonly live in family groups. Their diet consists mainly of fish, although they also take crustaceans and other aquatic animals. They communicate with a varied set of whistles, chirps, and other calls.

They are often confused with the smaller neotropical otter, Lontra longicaudis. Habitat loss, hunting, and degradation of waterways contributed to the giant otter’s threatened status, although conservation programs protect important populations.