Marta is a river otter who loves to play! Swimming and splashing, bounding and frolicking, Marta especially likes to glide down slippery mud slopes on her belly into river water.
Although she spends most of her time on land, Marta is a fantastic swimmer thanks to her long, streamlined body, short legs, and webbed toes, and nostrils that can close underwater. Her short thick fur keeps her warm in the chilly river. River otters can grow to 4 feet long, including the tail, and weigh 20 to 30 pounds.
Like all river otters, Marta likes to chow down on fish, crustaceans, amphibians, snakes, water insects, snails, worms, small mammals, birds, eggs, frogs, and even turtles.
Marta is an exceptional river otter. When they can, Marta and her River Guide Pal Georgie, like to visit classrooms and talk to kids about wearing lifejackets.
Here is a video of Georgie helping Marta put on her lifejacket, because even the best swimmers should wear lifejackets when they play in the river.
Here are a few pictures of Marta’s friends trying on lifejackets:
River Safety Smarts 