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Giant Otter
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Giant Otter

by Ellen deBoer

Gallery: WildlifePosted June 19, 2011122 views8 comments
During our trip to the Pantanal, one of our most wanted to see and capture animal was the Giant Otter. This was the first one we encountered and the strangest as well. He was all alone and spent a long time on the shore, making some strange groaning noises. Of course he was just as curious about as we were about him! We sat on the 'beach' on the other side of the stream for about two hours to watch him and all the other animals and birds untill we had to go back to the lodge before dark.

D300, Sigma170-500@220, 1/100, F6.3, cropped to 60%, tripod. Pousada Piuval. :wavey:

Comments

8 comments
Comment posted by DK Hawk on June 19, 2011 at 7:37 AM
He/She looks so lonely and sad. Nice capture, the background shows the seal off very well. I do wish for another angle so I could see a little of what he/she was looking at. But I understand that sometimes you have to take what you get. Thank you for sharing your photo with us.

DK :smile:
Registered on April 3, 2011, 17 Posts, 14 Comments
Comment posted by John Tobias on June 19, 2011 at 8:45 AM
It must have been very exciting to see this otter in the wild. Your image does a good job of placing the otter in its environment. My only wish would have been for the otter to have its face facing the camera just a bit more. Well done, thanks for sharing.
Registered on September 12, 2009, 2120 Posts, 6455 Comments
Comment posted by Cam Held on June 19, 2011 at 9:55 AM
What a cool animal! I've always wanted to see one of these- hopefully someday! I like how the green vegetation helps frame the otter! I do wish however that the otter wasn't centered in the frame, although I understand why... I guess in a perfect world a little more room on the right where the otter was looking might be nice, but great shot all the same! :toast:
-Cam
Registered on November 12, 2009, 59 Posts, 398 Comments
Comment posted by Mark Seaver on June 19, 2011 at 6:02 PM
Nice capture. I like all of the detail in the scene. The green water plants had add a lot of color.
Registered on January 23, 2011, 1103 Posts, 17270 Comments
Comment posted by Morkel Erasmus on June 19, 2011 at 7:18 PM
what a character!
I find Otters to be tough subjects, given where they spend most of their time, so in my books this is very nice. I hope to visit the Pantanal someday!
Registered on March 22, 2011, 385 Posts, 2068 Comments
Comment posted by Gary Gulash on June 20, 2011 at 1:43 AM
Wow, this is too cool. Love the slope ranging from sand to vegetation to water. Great look at this unique creature. Splendid! :toast: :toast:
Registered on January 28, 2005, 879 Posts, 12098 Comments
Comment posted by Brad Hill on June 20, 2011 at 8:39 AM
Hi Ellen,

Wow - a rare catch and I definitely am envious of the experience. Seems to me like the two halves of the otter are in conflict - the hind end wants to relax an take a break, and the front end is curious and wants to be active! :wink: I like the setting and my only wish (and this is perfect world stuff) is that the two tallest stems and leaves right in front of the otter weren't htere (but they were!).

Cheers...thanks for sharing this...

Brad
Registered on May 29, 2007, 431 Posts, 6061 Comments
Comment posted by Darren Colello on June 20, 2011 at 11:42 AM
Very, very cool, species. Congrats on the magnificent encounter. Thanks very much for sharing!!
Registered on July 27, 2009, 175 Posts, 1100 Comments