Otter females are called bitches or sows, and their offspring are called pups. The collective nouns for otters are bevy, family, lodge, romp (being descriptive of their often playful nature) or, when in water, raft. The feces of otters are typically identified by their distinctive aroma, the smell of which has been described as ranging from freshly mown hay to putrefied fish; these are known as spraints. The gestation period in otters is about 60 to 86 days. The newborn pup is cared for by the bitch, dog and older offspring. Bitch otters reach sexual maturity at approximately two years of
March Mammal Madness March Mammal Madness March Mammal Madness is an alternate March Madness tournament focusing on simulated combat between non-human mammals, instead of college basketball. The bracket is run by a team of evolutionary biologists, using science and probability to determine the outcomes of the fights. The goal of Mammal March Madness is to provide a fun and exciting way to spread scientific knowledge about the competing animals, as well as awareness for animal conservation. March Mammal Madness dates back to 2013, when founder Katie Hinde discovered a Buzzfeed Animal Madness bracket online. She was disappointed to find it only contained 16