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A Japanese River Otter is called Kawauso. This specie lives in the river. These nocturnal creatures have brown fur that is one of their forms of adaption in their environment.

Like the kitsunes or the Japanese foxes, the kawausos also thrive in Japanese folklores. The stories said that the kawausos also fool humans by shapeshifting into beautiful women or children who wore checkered clothing. They often said the words "oraya" or "araya" or "kawaii" to people who try to talk to them.

In Kaga Province, now known as Isikawa Prefecture, stories said that once there was an otter who lived in the castle's moat and invite men when it shapeshifts into a woman. Unfortunately, those men didn't live long. 

Tags: Animals, Japanese River Otter, Kawauso, Japan, japanese river otter habitat, japanese river otter niche, dark brown fur, nocturnal creature, Otter, River, others