Giant River Otter

Onca d’agua  Something’s fishy in the water, searched by Giant River Otter. To the fluid flow it steals, hunting for a piscine meal. Not long it takes for it to be, the otter feasts exuberantly. So Giant River Otter are, best of fishers yet by far …a truly efficient predator, not unlike a Jaguar. The Giant River Otter [or Giant Otter], sometimes known colloquially as Onca d’agua [Portuguese for Jaguar of the water], is not really a Jaguar at all. In fact, they are members of the mustelid or weasel family and hold the distinction of being the longest creatures in that group. A mature Giant River Otter may reach a length of between five and six feet. Once prevalent, this puckish South American species is considered rare today.  ~ Essay, poem and Giant River Otter capture, Onca d’agua © Jerry L. Ferrara