FLYING OTTER
Make Believe Journal by Running Deer The Flying Otter might be an otter. If it was, it would be in the Mustelidae Family. Other family members would include all the skunks, weasels and otters. It looks like a river otter, but it is smaller and lighter. On top it has long black and brown stripes running from head to tail. The underside is pure white. In winter all of it's fur turns white which makes it very difficult to see in the snow. While the river otter has webbed feet for swimming, the flying otter has developed webs from front to back legs, which have become very useful in flying. In ancient times the flying otter was only found in Ottawa, Canada. It was then called the Ottawa otter. It came from a small island on the Ottawa River called Nomanisan. Have you ever heard of it? In time the Ottawa otters grew tired of Nomanisan and on a very windy day, one of them by the name of Otto, spread his webs and flew into the air. Otto the Ottawa Otter was the first of his species to fly. It was not long before all of the Ottawa otters learned to fly like Otto. They soon spread over North America. Years passed and people forgot where this animal came from and the name was changed to flying otter. Otto is not forgotten, though. It is said that on the shore of Nomanisan Island there is a statue of Otto. At the base of that statue, carved in stone, are printed these few words: Otto Ottawa Otter. Whatt an Otter! The next time you hear the whoosh of powerful wing beats, look up. It could be a flying otter. Editor's Note |