The old adage that there is strength in numbers certainly rings true when it comes to smooth-coated otters. Recently in the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve in Singapore, a family of these creatures were seen battling a crocodile—which, one might think, was not the wisest idea for these small mammals.

It turns out, though, that otters are incredibly territorial, and will not shy away from chasing much larger predators out of their home range, says N. Sivasothi (a.k.a. The Otterman), a senior lecturer at the National University of Singapore. Though it might seem like the crocodile could dispatch one of the otters with a single chomp, these fierce mammals can in fact deliver powerful bites and are aggressive when provoked, to