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A lone otter at Coney Island has garnered an unexpected amount of attention for its defined arm muscles.
Public interest was sparked after photos of him were captured and posted online by an otter watcher named Sylvia Loh.
Just look at his biceps here as he holds up his catch near Coney Island's West Entrance:
Photo courtesy of Sylvia Loh.
Loh told Mothership that the otter was alone.
As a regular otter watcher who has been monitoring the otters in the northeast region, Loh said that male otters can sometimes leave the family after a certain age, usually after they reach the age of one.
Otters that fish by the coast usually tend to be stronger than those that fish in the canals.
Check out this new bachelor who is single, available, and ready to mingle:
Photo courtesy of Sylvia Loh.
With a hearty appetite too:
Photo courtesy of Sylvia Loh.
It is unclear which family this particular tough boy originated from, Loh said. Loh also added that loners seem to be observed occasionally in the area.
Otter families living in this region will face some uncertainties due to development projects near Punggol, Loh said, explaining that the ongoing development projects have resulted in them losing some of their holts.
Holts are less conspicuous spots on land where otters rest and raise their pups.
She expressed concerns about how the construction of the OBS campus on Coney Island could affect the otters living or visiting the island.
While the smooth coated otters seem to be thriving in Singapore in recent years, the species remain listed as “Vulnerable” by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and “Critically Endangered” by Singapore’s Red List.
Their population is still dwindling, mainly due to loss of habitats as a result of urban development.
Top image courtesy of Sylvia Loh