This set features four otter images, each one delighting in winter’s white wonderland. The first image is an otter poking its head out of an icy body of water; the second shows an otter sliding on its back, tail first, down a snowbank; the third depicts an otter, belly up, facing the viewer, sliding down a snowbank; and the fourth shows an otter chest-deep in a snow drift.

The playful North American river otter (Lontra canadensis) can be found in riparian areas throughout most of the United States and Canada, often in the same areas as beavers. These otters prefer freshwater habitats but can also be found in salt water.

This elegantly long and sleek mammal is designed for life in and around the water, no matter the season. In addition to having webbed feet, an otter has a muscular tail, measuring about 40 percent of its body length, that powers it in swimming and diving. Otters may look a bit awkward when walking on land, but they are nothing but graceful as they twist and loop through the water, slide down snowbanks or romp in the snow. This “play” helps them strengthen social bonds, hone hunting skills and mark territory.

Otters eat fish, crayfish, insects and even hibernating frogs and turtles as part of their winter diet. Otters are known for their fastidious grooming habits, which helps them survive. When they clean their dense, double-layered coats, the animals trap air beneath the fur, which insulates them against the frosty winter air and keeps them warm in freezing water.