Giant otter (Pteronura brasiliensis) In this photo we see a family of otters. Five of them are cubs born during the pandemic confinement. They are extremely sociable and weave close family bonds. Otters were for years coveted for their pelts and the fur industry almost wiped them out. This species of otter is endemic to the Amazon, where it is critically endangered. There are less than 5,000 otters left in the wild, and only a few in captivity.