How many pups can a river otter have in a litter?

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River otters typically produce litters ranging from one to five pups. This distinguishes them from sea otters, which generally produce only a single pup at a time.12

River otters reach sexual maturity between two and three years of age and often produce multiple pups in each litter. Unlike sea otters, which often keep their young on their stomachs or wrapped in kelp while swimming, river otters travel with their pups alongside them or shelter them in burrows along riverbanks.2