North American River Otter

This was one of my favorite animals that I spotted this year, a North American River Otter.

I believe it was on August 20 that I first glimpsed them at Dukes Brook. Unfortunately I couldn't wait around that day to get a picture because I was scheduled for a volunteer shift as an Outdoor Educator. When the shift was over I went back to the brook but was unable to find them again. (I suspect they had moved someplace quieter.)

A few days later I was back and looked for them along Dukes Brook. The 1st 3 spots I checked showed no signs of them, but at my 4th spot along the brook I struck paydirt. At least 2 otters were romping in and out of the water, fitting since a romp is the collective name for a group of otters.

River otters will mostly eat aquatic animals, including fish, crustaceans, reptiles, and amphibians. Waterfowl are also taken if they can get close enough. Muskrats are on the menu; reports vary about whether beavers are taken. My guess is that fully grown Common Snapping Turtles are too big/dangerous for river otters to tangle with.

They probably get mistaken for the American Mink, though adult North American River Otters are quite a bit larger. Though I don't think river otters routinely prey on American Mink, I suspect the mink try and avoid them. (There's some evidence that mink will switch to hunting on land when otters are present.)

Similar to humans, river otters got here by following over the Bering Land Bridge. While our North American River Otters spread across the continent, other river otters traveled down to South America.

August 23, 2022 at Duke Farms
Photo 229695256, (c) jpviolette, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)

August 23, 2022 at Duke Farms
Photo 229695451, (c) jpviolette, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)


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