How do river otters catch crabs and crayfish hiding under rocks?

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Sea otter — otter A sea otter (*Enhydra lutris*) eating a crab.

River otters catch crabs and crayfish hiding under rocks primarily by using their manual dexterity to dislodge the prey. While some species, such as the African clawless otter, rely heavily on this tactile ability due to living in murky water, others also utilize sensory hairs on their snouts known as vibrissae to detect water turbulence, which helps them locate hidden food. Once the prey is dislodged, the otter captures it using its teeth or forefeet.1