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
Marine Mammal Regulations Marine Mammal Regulations Marine Mammal Regulations (MMR) is a set of rules that govern the taking (fishing, hunting) and treatment of marine mammals in Canada. The regulations are part of the Fisheries Act. The Marine Mammal Regulations s are divided into nine "parts": The "Seal Protection Regulations" were established under the Fisheries Act by the Government of Canada in the mid-1960s. The regulations were combined with other Canadian marine mammals regulations in 1993, into the "Marine Mammal Regulations". A proposed amendment in 2012 would have required boats to stay at least 50 meters away from belugas in Churchill and Seal