Giant otters that rove through the Brazilian Pantanal in packs may find it hard to find a private moment. New research reveals their latrines spawn whole ecosystems.
Birds like vultures, crested caracaras (Caracara plancus) and other vertebrates quickly congregate around these otter outhouses, sometimes consuming feces while the otters are in the midst of performing their daily duties.
Giant otters (Pteronura brasiliensis) are apex predators in the wetlands of the Pantanal—they swim around in large packs hunting fish and other small creatures. But their success in pack hunting also has a shared end point—they typically establish communal latrines, which may serve to mark territory for other giant otters.
But birds and other creatures don’t seem phased by this aromatic warning. In fact, scavenging birds are particularly drawn to it, using it as a source of easy meals.
