Bobcats, alligators, coyotes, raptors, and other large predators will sometimes prey on North American river otters. Most mustelids, including otters, have 36 specialized teeth, including sharp canines and carnassials that inflict lethal bites to prey. Lutra was the early European name (from Latin), and the specific epithet canadensis[9] means "of Canada". In some regions, though, their population is controlled to allow the trapping and harvesting of otters for their fur. 2003). States reported a variety of methods that were used to monitor river otter populations. 2003) indicated that changes in river otter distribution occurred primarily in the contiguous United States and that river otters had expanded their range by approximately 13.7% during an 18-y period (Table 2). The river otter is considerably larger, reaching several feet in length. We surveyed state wildlife agency experts to assess the current population and regulatory status of river otters in their jurisdictions. Litter size ranges anywhere from one to five pups. Chasing is also a common game. However, it typically occurs in winter or spring. [16], Males and female river otters show different non-sexual physical characteristics,[23] with males typically being larger. 2003). (c) Susan Adams, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA). Two states (Connecticut and Tennessee) reported that regulations are reviewed every 4 to 5 years. South Carolina and Texas reported that harvest regulations are never reviewed. The North American River Otter weighs on average 10 to 30 pounds and measures approximately two to four feet long from head to tail. They have short legs, webbed feet for faster swimming, and a long, narrow body and flattened head for streamlined movement in the water. The dens have entrances underwater so they can be easily accessed from the water. River otters are challenging to monitor because of their secretive nature and the fact that they naturally occur at relatively low densities on the landscape. River otters can be found swimming all over in the state's creeks, lakes and ponds. We also thank the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies for logistical assistance. [30] However, river otters will prey on trout, pike, walleye (Sander vitreus vitreus), salmon (Oncorhynchus spp. [46] In late 2012, a river otter nicknamed Sutro Sam took up residence around the former site of the Sutro Baths in San Francisco, the first river otter sighting in that city in more than half a century. An adult river otter can weigh between 5.0and14kg (11.0and 31lb). Like fishers, martens, and mink, they have long, slender bodies, short limbs, and a short face, plus a set of adaptations for their aquatic lifestyle: an oily, waterproof coat, webbed toes, and small external ears. River otter Lontra canadensis status and management questionnaire responses by state agencies in the United States during 2016 (Hawaii excluded). River otters were reported to be ubiquitous throughout Alaska south of the Brooks Range (Alaska Department of Fish and Game, personal communication). We received responses from all 48 contiguous states and interviewed agency personnel in Alaska; not all responses were complete (Table S1). Males are generally larger than females. Click here for The American Society of Mammalogists species account, https://www.flickr.com/photos/spolky/14137678671/, http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2765/4276426485_17cb92891f.jpg, http://lh6.ggpht.com/-cIzzr048_Yw/UOdMyHWi9TI/AAAAAAAAUts/jMiA2rUGxQw/P1180157.JPG, https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6a/Olympic_Nat_Park_River_Otter.JPG, http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8305/7752408968_be9c26984a_o.jpg, http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?seq_num=576969&one=T, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lontra_canadensis, Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). River otters were legally harvested in 40 states as of 2016. Within the contiguous United States, we estimated that the county-level geographic distribution occupied by river otters to be approximately 5,686,140 km270% of the total land area and 90% of the total water area. North American river otters were hunted and trapped extensively for their fur in the 19th and 20th centuries, and are still hunted in some places. Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management 11(1):279286; e1944-687X. Acid drainage from coal mines is a persistent water quality issue in some areas, as it eliminates otter prey. They were extirpated from portions of their range, but conservation and reintroduction efforts are helping populations to recover. Fish and Wildlife Service, through the Division of Scientific Authority, housed in the International Affairs Program, has routinely determined that the export of river otter pelts and products from the United States has not been detrimental to their viability, thus satisfying the conditions of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora agreement (Bowman et al. [56] Trappers in Alberta, Canada commonly assert North American river otters are major predators of North American beavers. Its tail is furred but longer and more streamlined than a mink's. The otter's face is roundish, almost dog-like. [26] Other fish an integral part of the North American river otters' diets are those that are often plentiful and found in large schools: sunfish (Lepomis spp. The otter can close its ears and nostrils when diving. Chanticleer Press, Inc. 937 pp. Harvest regulations are reviewed frequently by most states that allow harvest (Table 1). Field Guide to Mammals, North America. (c) Diddlecome Dawcock, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND). https://doi.org/10.3996/102018-JFWM-093. [34] Fish remnants were found in 91.9% of the samples. Mink are also semiaquatic animals and look the part, just like otters. DESCRIPTION: Please note: The Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management is not responsible for the content or functionality of any supplemental material. American Midland Naturalist 156: 189-192. Houghton Mifflin Co., New York, NY. The Birmingham Zoo is an independent, not for profit, 501 (c) (3) organization. Crustaceans may even be consumed more than fish. 2004. LIFEHISTORY AND ECOLOGY: As such, careful consideration of any threatened, endangered, or fish species of special interest is warranted prior to reintroduction of otters to a watershed. To protect fish in these cases, the otters may need to be removed or relocated. [47] In Canada, North American river otters occupy all provinces and territories, except until recently Prince Edward Island. (1996) encouraged jurisdictions to standardize monitoring methodology. [16] Each otter pup weighs approximately five ounces. The ears appear large on its small flattened head. For instance, an Alberta, Canada study involved the collection and analysis of 1,191 samples of North American river otter scat (feces) collected during each season. In addition, riverine habitats in interior regions supported smaller, but practical, otter populations. Sometimes they eat aquatic plants. The most common fish consumed are perch, suckers, and catfish. A North American river otter's main requirements are a steady food supply and easy access to a body of water. River otters use their powerful hind feet to help with propulsion and their small, dexterous front feet for paddling through the water. Little effort has gone into assessing the threat of disease to wild North American river otter populations, so it is poorly understood and documented. However habitat destruction and water pollution still puts these animals at great risk, especially because they are so specialized. Washington, D.C. 750 pp. Otters have five toes and the heel pad tends to be somewhat horseshoe shaped. [22], Its whiskers (vibrissae) are long and thick, enhancing their senses. They have long bodies, short limbs, and rich glossy coats. Mammals of North America. About 13 different species exist around the world, but only two types - the River Otters and the Sea Otters live in the USA. [35] However, North American river otters, as foragers, will immediately take advantage of other prey when readily obtainable. Water pollution and other diminution of aquatic and wetland habitats may limit distribution and pose long-term threats if the enforcement of water quality standards is not upheld. North American river otter A pair at the San Francisco Zooin 2005 Conservation status Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)[1] CITESAppendix II (CITES)[1] Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Carnivora Family: Mustelidae Genus: Lontra Species: L. canadensis Binomial name Lontra canadensis (Schreber, 1777) Females will utilize a den in a mud bank or fallen tree trunk near the water for a nest location. 2003) using ArcMap (ESRI 2011). [19] An average adult male weighs about 11.3 kilograms (25lb) against the female's average of 8.3 kilograms (18lb). Methods of population monitoring included bridge surveys (presence vs. absence track surveys conducted at bridge crossings), harvest surveys, bowhunter surveys, camera surveys, winter track surveys, population models from harvest data, harvest effort, and agency field questionnaires (for detailed descriptions of these methods, we direct readers to Chilelli et al. As populations have expanded, river otter reintroduction efforts have become less frequent; two additional states had conducted reintroductions since 1998 and only one state had conducted a reintroduction since 2010. A number of reintroduction projects have been initiated to help halt the reduction in the overall population. An entrance, which may be under water or above ground, leads to a nest chamber lined with leaves, grass, moss, bark, and hair. The remaining states indicated that they reintroduced river otters to expand populations in their state beyond their current range, including three states that indicated that reintroductions were also used to reestablish extirpated populations and seven states that used reintroductions to bolster populations where they already existed (Table 1). Based on this 2016 survey, 22 states reported increasing populations, 25 states reported stable populations, and 2 states (Arizona and Washington) reported an uncertain population trend (Table 1). They once lived in streams, rivers, lakes, swamps, and coastal areas throughout Canada and the United States. Fish and Wildlife Service. River otters generally live alone or in small social groups. Two decades later, there is still considerable variation in monitoring methods and effort across jurisdictions. Reintroduction of river otters may present a problem in that it may contaminate the genetic structure of the native population.[1]. [50] The few occurrences of mammals found in the North American river otter's diet include: muskrats (Ondatra zibethicus); meadow voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus); eastern cottontails (Sylvilagus floridanus); and snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus). Fish are a favorite food, but they also eat amphibians, turtles, and crayfish. Junior League of Birmingham Hugh Kaul Childrens Zoo Alabama Wilds Trail. They have been virtually eliminated through many parts of their range, especially around heavily populated areas in the midwestern and eastern United States. ", "North American River Otter National Wildlife Federation", "Basic Facts About North American River Otters", "Distribution and abundance of river otter in Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota", "Food habits of the river otter in Suisun Marsh, Central California", "Feeding relationships of river otters in northeastern Pennsylvania", Food habits of the North American river otter (, "Social Networks and the Formation and Maintenance of River Otter Groups", "Art Lander's Outdoors: Once endangered river otters now likely to be found in Kentucky for generations", Colorado Otters May No Longer Need Protection, How river otters are making a comeback on P.E.I. Historically, the Cahaba was home to 48 different native freshwater mussel . [1] The North American river otter existed on all parts of the Pacific Coast, including the seashore and inland streams and lakes. Otters are very secretive and shy and would rather run away than attack. Do not throw any kind of trash, fertilizers, or poisons into any body of water. When estimating occupied range area or river otters, we only summed the area of the counties with known presence and excluded those counties that are listed as unknown (Table S1, Supplemental Material). We contacted wildlife management agencies from all states in the contiguous United States during 2016 via email (Figure S1, Supplemental Material), and Alaska via phone, targeting agency personnel that were responsible for river otter management. They have small heads that widen through the neck into a long, thickset but streamlined body. [23], Aquatic life ties North American river otters almost exclusively to permanent watersheds. Estimated range of river otters Lontra canadensis in the United States during 2016 compared with 1998 (estimated from Melquist et al. River otter track Scientific Name. Otters are known for their playful nature, even as adults. River otters historically inhabited every major watershed in the contiguous United States and were extirpated from much of their historical range as a result of multiple factors including habitat degradation and destruction as well as unregulated harvest (Anderson 1977). River otters line their dens with leaves, moss, and grass. 1,712 River Otter Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images. North American river otters rely upon play to learn survival skills such as fighting and hunting. (c) Biodiversity Heritage Library, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA). The river otter Lontra canadensis is an elusive species that can serve an important role in aquatic ecosystems as a top predator of fish and crayfish. [36], North American river otters may prefer to feed on crustaceans, especially crayfish (Cambarus, Pacifasticus, and others) and crabs[52] more than fish where they are locally and seasonally plentiful. 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