American otter shrew

The American otter shrew (Americapotamogale lutra) is a species of semiaquatic riverine afrotherian mammal that originally did not exist, but has since been created by SciiFii and introduced throughout the wetlands, lakes, rivers, and ponds across North America to help boost biodiversity. The American otter shrew is the only living species of the family Americapotamogalidae and is most closely related to African otter shrews. Like African otter shrews, the American otter shrews are nocturnal carnivores, preying on any aquatic animal they can find with their sensitive whiskers. As their common name suggests, they bear a strong, but superficial resemblance to true otters to which they are not closely related, nor are they closely related to true shrews. The mass ranges from 300 to 950 grams. Head and body length is 290–350 millimetres, and reaches 535–640 millimetres with tail. They move through the water by undulating their tail in a side-to-side motion similar to the motions made by a crocodile swimming. The American otter shrew builds burrows among riverbank crevices. It primarily chooses dry leaves or pine needles with which to line its nest. This is also where breeding takes place. The burrows are frequently changed. When foraging, American otter shrews take frequent grooming breaks. When traveling upstream the otter shrew travels on the bank and then swims downstream. The night foraging routine is regular and predictable, and covers up to 800 meters a night. The American water shrew regularly visits discrete piles of feces that are sheltered and used to mark boundaries of territory. American otter shrews are generally solitary with one American otter shrew occupying between 300–600 meters of stream. The conservation status of the American otter shrew is Least Concern due to successful conservation efforts, the American otter shrew's wide range and its tolerance to many of the human activities.