History of Otters (That We Know Of) | Lindsay Nikole

Thanks to Grow Therapy for sponsoring this video! Head to https://growtherapy.yt.link/gDmppsY to find your dream therapist today! Otters have fantastic PR but do they deserve it? From a lion-sized prehistoric otter with the diet of a big cat, to sea otters literally living in the Stone Age with their own tool use, the history of these mustelids is wilder than their cute faces suggest. Meet all 14 species (yes, 14 there's a new one as of 2024), and discover how the otter lineage evolved from early mustelids 35 million years ago into one of the most diverse semi-aquatic groups on the planet. But the story doesn't stop at cute. Sea otters are a keystone species holding entire kelp forest ecosystems together, capturing carbon at a scale that matters for the whole planet. And they nearly didn't make it the fur trade collapsed populations from 300,000 to fewer than 2,000 in just 150 years. Learn how some species are still fighting back, why the exotic pet trade is the next big threat, and meet the one otter species that was declared extinct and then wasn't. Oh! And I wrote a book, so definitely make sure to grab it—Epic Earth out now! Order Here: https://a.co/d/54fdZqI #LindsayNikole #otters #history #evolution Don't miss a video! Subscribe NOW: https://www.youtube.com/@LindsayNikole?sub_confirmation=1 ABOUT LINDSAY NIKOLE Join zoologist Lindsay Nikole for vivid stories about evolution, animal behavior, and the wonderfully weird life around (and before) us. Each video dives into creatures you’ve never met and facts you’ll never forget, blending science with humor, visuals, and memorable explanations. From viral mystery IDs and prehistoric deep dives to myth-busting and conservation context, this channel makes complex biology easy and exciting to understand. Follow Lindsay Nikole here: Order Lindsay’s new book: https://geni.us/EpicEarth?brid=yl-xFobehfULq0HItSrw1g Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lindsay_nikole Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LindsayNikoleTheZoologist TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lindsaynikole Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/2IDSBorwoeXSD3r67kFTQH?si=Mb2Dg1fgRXWZQzfIzSqgmg&nd=1 Merch: https://www.lindsaynikole.com Chapters 00:00 Mustelids & Carnivora Explained 04:54 Where Otters Came From 06:21 Siamogale The 100 lb Otter of Ancient China 07:03 Enhydriodon The Lion-Sized Otter 08:27 Enhydratherum & the Origins of the Sea Otter 11:36 All 14 Species: "Rapid Fire Introductions" 18:52 Giant River Otter The Longest of Them All 21:14 Sea Otters: The Most Aquatic of Them All 23:40 Stone Age Tool Users of the Ocean 25:03 Why Otters Hold Ecosystems Together 26:44 The Fur Trade & Near Extinction History of Otters (That We Know Of) | Lindsay Nikole https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrc2iv2-G1FZ3VscM3zu2jg