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
The Mammal Society surveying. A full list of these courses can be found here. The Society's president is Dr. Paul Chanin, and its current Chair is Dr Fiona Mathews. The Mammal Society publishes a number of informative books for conservationists, enthusiasts and consultants alike, as well as a high impact scientific journal, Mammal Review. In June 2012, The Mammal Society published UK BAP Mammals: Interim Guidelines for Survey Methodologies, Impact Assessment & Mitigation for species for which there was previously no available guidance. http://www.nhbs.com/title/view/196556 The definitive publication of The Mammal Society is the 4th edition of Mammals of The British Isles Handbook. The