Why Otters Yawn ?
Otters, like most mammals, yawn for a number of reasons, including:
1. **Stretching and waking up**: Yawning frequently follows stretching, which helps to wake up the otter's body and muscles after a period of rest or sleep. It is a normal behaviour observed in many animals, including humans.
2. **Oxygen intake**: Yawning can boost oxygen intake, potentially making the otter more awake and ready for activity. This is especially effective after a time of inactivity in which oxygen levels may have decreased slightly.
3. **Social behaviour**: Yawning is contagious in several species, including otters. In social species, yawning may be used as a form of communication or group synchronisation. When one otter yawns, others may yawn as well, presumably helping to coordinate group activities or signalling relaxation.
4. **tension relief**: According to certain research, yawning might help relieve tension. It may assist to regulate brain temperature and blood flow, increasing relaxation and lowering anxiety. Therefore, otters may yawn to release stress or tension.
5. **Sensory input**: Yawning may also be caused by external stimuli or environmental changes. Changes in temperature or light, for example, may cause otters to yawn, just as people do.
Overall, yawning in otters presumably serves a variety of physiological and social roles, assisting them in waking up, communicating with others, regulating stress, and responding to their surroundings.