North American River Otter Introduction
Meet the North American River Otter, a friendly mammal residing all over North America hence the name. The otter is a fairly solitary small mammal that spends its time in wet areas like rivers. The population is not in immediate danger of extinction although the it has been decreasing. The purpose of this site is to educate those on all aspects of the North American river otter. It will show readers how the otter lives, functions, and its place in the environment .
Mock Experiment :The Effect of Different Parts of a Fish on a River Otter's Weight
BACKGROUND:
In the midst of a failing economy, the Bronx Zoo is facing a fiscal dilemma: they don’t have enough money to feed all of the animals. All animals are suffering from this lack of food that was created by the North American river otter population with their very expensive diet. River otter’s diet in the zoo consists mainly of fish, which is quite expensive.With such a large North American river otter population, the zoo doesn’t have the financial means to satisfy their hunger needs. A plan of action has been formulated, as opposed to purchasing the whole fish, the zoo will just purchase a singular part of the fish to feed the hungry otters. Researchers must now find what portion of the fish is the most nutrient rich, the skin, fat, or meat. Different otter’s weights will be measured when eating different parts of the fish to see which one is the healthiest.
HYPOTHESIS:
If the North American river otter’s eat solely the meat part of the fish, then the otters will be sated and the zoo will save money.
PROCEDURE:
1. We procured seperated fish skin, fat and meat.
2. Then, we divided the otter population into 3 groups.
3. Next, we fed one group ½ lb of skin, another group ½ lb of meat, and the last group ½ lb of fat.
4. After, we continued to feed each otter group their designated food.
5. Each week we would weigh the otters.
6. We then recorded our data.
7. After, we fed the otters their specific fish part for 1 ½ years.
DATA:
Week 0 Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8
Meat
Otter #1 31 32 33 33 33.5 33.5 34 35 35.5
Otter #2 28 28 28 28 28.5 29 29.5 30 30.5
Otter #3 25 25.5 26 26 26 27 28 29 29.5
Otter #4 33 32 33 34 34 34 34.5 35 36
Otter #5 27 27 27.5 27.5 28 28.5 29.5 30 31.5
Fat
Otter #6 24 23.5 23 23 22 22 21.5 20 19.5
Otter #7 27 26 23.5 25 24 23.5 23 22 21.5
Otter #8 30 29 28 27.5 26.5 26 25.5 25 24.5
Otter #9 29 29 28.5 28 27 26.5 26 26.5 25
Otter #10 32 31.5 31.5 31 30 29 28 27.5 27
Skin
Otter #11 27 26 25.5 24.5 24 23.5 23 22.5 22
Otter #12 33 32 31.5 31 31 30.5 29.5 29 29
Otter #13 32 31.5 31 30 29.6 29 28.5 28 27.5
Otter #14 26 25.5 25 24.5 24 23 22.5 21 21
Otter #15 27 26 25.5 25 24 24 23 22.5 22
CONCLUSION:Version:1.0 StartHTML:0000000182 EndHTML:0000003745 StartFragment:0000002554 EndFragment:0000003709 SourceURL:file://localhost/Users/willybaer/Desktop/BioMockExperimentPBA.doc After conducting this experiment fellow scientists and I have discovered fish meat is most beneficial to the North American river otter. Although the skin and fat both contain Omega-3 fatty acids,which are very beneficial to organisms, the meat of the fish contains substantial proteins and omega-3 acids that are a necessary for the otter to live healthy life. Omega-3 fatty acids help to decrease levels of “bad fat” in the otter.The zoo should feed the otter’s just the fishes meat, as opposed to the whole fish to save money. The skin and fat lack nutrients and aren’t filling enough for the otters to eat as the only part of their diet. The weights of the otters decreased when they ate a diet of solely fish skin and fat. On the other hand, the otter’s weight steadily increased when they ate fish meat. While looking at my findings I have discovered that it would be most beneficial for the Bronx Zoo to feed the North American river otter’s and save money.
In the midst of a failing economy, the Bronx Zoo is facing a fiscal dilemma: they don’t have enough money to feed all of the animals. All animals are suffering from this lack of food that was created by the North American river otter population with their very expensive diet. River otter’s diet in the zoo consists mainly of fish, which is quite expensive.With such a large North American river otter population, the zoo doesn’t have the financial means to satisfy their hunger needs. A plan of action has been formulated, as opposed to purchasing the whole fish, the zoo will just purchase a singular part of the fish to feed the hungry otters. Researchers must now find what portion of the fish is the most nutrient rich, the skin, fat, or meat. Different otter’s weights will be measured when eating different parts of the fish to see which one is the healthiest.
HYPOTHESIS:
If the North American river otter’s eat solely the meat part of the fish, then the otters will be sated and the zoo will save money.
PROCEDURE:
1. We procured seperated fish skin, fat and meat.
2. Then, we divided the otter population into 3 groups.
3. Next, we fed one group ½ lb of skin, another group ½ lb of meat, and the last group ½ lb of fat.
4. After, we continued to feed each otter group their designated food.
5. Each week we would weigh the otters.
6. We then recorded our data.
7. After, we fed the otters their specific fish part for 1 ½ years.
DATA:
Week 0 Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8
Meat
Otter #1 31 32 33 33 33.5 33.5 34 35 35.5
Otter #2 28 28 28 28 28.5 29 29.5 30 30.5
Otter #3 25 25.5 26 26 26 27 28 29 29.5
Otter #4 33 32 33 34 34 34 34.5 35 36
Otter #5 27 27 27.5 27.5 28 28.5 29.5 30 31.5
Fat
Otter #6 24 23.5 23 23 22 22 21.5 20 19.5
Otter #7 27 26 23.5 25 24 23.5 23 22 21.5
Otter #8 30 29 28 27.5 26.5 26 25.5 25 24.5
Otter #9 29 29 28.5 28 27 26.5 26 26.5 25
Otter #10 32 31.5 31.5 31 30 29 28 27.5 27
Skin
Otter #11 27 26 25.5 24.5 24 23.5 23 22.5 22
Otter #12 33 32 31.5 31 31 30.5 29.5 29 29
Otter #13 32 31.5 31 30 29.6 29 28.5 28 27.5
Otter #14 26 25.5 25 24.5 24 23 22.5 21 21
Otter #15 27 26 25.5 25 24 24 23 22.5 22
CONCLUSION:Version:1.0 StartHTML:0000000182 EndHTML:0000003745 StartFragment:0000002554 EndFragment:0000003709 SourceURL:file://localhost/Users/willybaer/Desktop/BioMockExperimentPBA.doc After conducting this experiment fellow scientists and I have discovered fish meat is most beneficial to the North American river otter. Although the skin and fat both contain Omega-3 fatty acids,which are very beneficial to organisms, the meat of the fish contains substantial proteins and omega-3 acids that are a necessary for the otter to live healthy life. Omega-3 fatty acids help to decrease levels of “bad fat” in the otter.The zoo should feed the otter’s just the fishes meat, as opposed to the whole fish to save money. The skin and fat lack nutrients and aren’t filling enough for the otters to eat as the only part of their diet. The weights of the otters decreased when they ate a diet of solely fish skin and fat. On the other hand, the otter’s weight steadily increased when they ate fish meat. While looking at my findings I have discovered that it would be most beneficial for the Bronx Zoo to feed the North American river otter’s and save money.