Description of metadata is included. [32][34] The most common amphibians recognized were frogs (Rana and Hyla). 2006. [62], The North American river otter is considered a species of least concern according to the IUCN Red List, as it is not currently declining at a rate sufficient for a threat category. Our area estimates of river otter distribution in the contiguous United States during 2016 (e.g., 5,686,140 km2) were strikingly similar (i.e., only 2.3% greater) to what Melquist et al. T. Peltier, N. Forman, and W. Dodge also assisted with several aspects of this effort.We would also like to thank the Associate Editor and anonymous reviewers for constructive and value suggestions and comments that improved the quality of this manuscript. river otter devon. In some regions, though, their population is controlled to allow the trapping and harvesting of otters for their fur. [30] However, river otters will prey on trout, pike, walleye (Sander vitreus vitreus), salmon (Oncorhynchus spp. River otters were legally harvested in 40 states, while closed harvest seasons existed in 9 states; Arizona, California, Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming (Table 1). As a result, slow-swimming fish are consumed more often than game fishes when both are equally available. [29][30], The diet of the North American river otter can be deduced by analyzing either stool obtained in the field,[31] or gut contents removed from trapped otters. The vulnerability and seasonal availability of prey animals mainly governs its food habits and prey choices. Otter pelts range from a rich dark brown (almost black) to a pale chestnut on the back and sides and light brown mixed with varying amounts of gray on the belly. Estimated range of river otters Lontra canadensis in the United States during 2016 compared with 1998 (estimated from Melquist et al. North American river otters have long whiskers, which they use to detect prey in dark or cloudy water, and clawed feet for grasping onto slippery prey. Similarly, it is possible that false-negatives occurred, particularly at lower population densities. Historically, the Cahaba was home to 48 different native freshwater mussel . ), and other game fish during spawning. A North American river otter's main requirements are a steady food supply and easy access to a body of water. Sometimes they eat aquatic plants. Harvest regulations are reviewed frequently by most states that allow harvest (Table 1). River otters are rambunctious, aquatic, streamlined mammals that spend much of their time in the water. Behind-the-Scenes Encounters & Experiences, Passion into Conservation Action (PiCA) Program, Participation in the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International. A river otter can grow three to four feet (0.9 to 1.2 meters) long including its tail and weigh between 11 and 30 pounds (5 to 14 kilograms). They have short legs, webbed feet for faster swimming, and a long, narrow body and flattened head for streamlined movement in the water. [34] Other species of birds found within their diets include: northern pintail (Anas acuta); mallard (Anas platyrhynchos); canvasback (Aythya valisineria); ruddy duck (Oxyura jamaicensis); and the American coot (Fulica americana). Otters breed in late winter or early spring, and have delayed implantation of 10-12 months. This kind of pollution could deplete the food supply for the otters. American Midland Naturalist 156: 189-192. Jurisdictions that have harvest are afforded more monitoring opportunities through harvest-dependent data sources, such as catch-per-unit effort, distribution of harvests, and sex and age-structure of harvests. [8], The North American river otter was first described by German naturalist Johann Christian Daniel von Schreber in 1777. Table S1. [54], During the winter and spring, when the water levels were higher, North American river otters had a greater tendency to prey upon crayfish (73% of scats had crayfish remains) rather than fish. Estimated range of river otters Lontra canadensis in the United States during 2016 compared with 1998 (estimated from Melquist et al. North American river otters are mainly fish eaters. The American river otter is a graceful and beautiful addition to many North Carolina rivers. If you are one of the (c) Diddlecome Dawcock, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND). Nathan M. Roberts, Matthew J. Lovallo, Shawn M. Crimmins; River Otter Status, Management, and Distribution in the United States: Evidence of Large-Scale Population Increase and Range Expansion. River otters line their dens with leaves, moss, and grass. Chanticleer Press, Inc. 937 pp. Most mustelids, including otters, have 36 specialized teeth, including sharp canines and carnassials that inflict lethal bites to prey. When river otter presence was unknown in a county, which could occur where there is no harvest or monitoring effort (i.e., arid or remote regions), we recorded presence in those counties as unknown.' ), daces (Rhinichthys spp. All Canadian provinces except Prince Edward Island and 29 U.S. states have viable populations that sustain annual harvests. The River Otter is a river that rises in the Blackdown Hills just inside the county of Somerset, England near Otterford, then flows south through East Devon. The North American river otter is found throughout North America, inhabiting inland waterways and coastal areas in Canada, the Pacific Northwest, the Atlantic states, and the Gulf of Mexico. Since inclusion under Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, the U.S. Researchers also rely on game cams that they set up to catch pictures and videos of otters in the night. Potential responses concerning legal status included regulated harvest, no harvest, state threatened, or state endangered. As such, careful consideration of any threatened, endangered, or fish species of special interest is warranted prior to reintroduction of otters to a watershed. North American river otters are very susceptible to the effects of environmental pollution, which is a likely factor in the continued decline of their numbers. They have also been known to eat aquatic plants and to prey on other small mammals, such as muskrats or rabbits. Giant otters live in South America, throughout the Orinoco, Amazon and La Plata River systems (mostly in the northern half of South America). 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. Some variation is to be expected because each jurisdiction has different resources and priorities for wildlife programs. Preceding the settlement of North America by Europeans, North American river otters were prevalent among aquatic habitats throughout most of the continent. River Otter Quick Facts. For many furbearers, including river otter, harvest-based data are the only information available with sufficient sample sizes large enough for robust analyses (White et al. Daniel Toole, Wildlife Biologist, Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries. [1] Otters have recently re-established themselves on Prince Edward Island. [1] They are now absent or rare in Arizona, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, and West Virginia. Fish are a favorite food, but they also eat amphibians, turtles, and crayfish. Bobcats, alligators, coyotes, raptors, and other large predators will sometimes prey on North American river otters. The North American river otter occurs in much of Canada and the United States, except for portions of the Southwest, and in Mexico in the Rio Grande and Colorado River delta areas. [16] The dental formula is 3.1.4.13.1.3.2. [20] Large male North American river otters can exceed a weight of 15 kilograms (33lb). Females will utilize a den in a mud bank or fallen tree trunk near the water for a nest location. River Otters are good swimmers and divers, able to stay underwater for up to eight minutes. The river otter is adapted for both land and water with short legs, webbed toes, and a strong, flattened tail. Habitat They live in still or slow moving fresh water rivers, lakes and creeks. The North American river otter, a member of the subfamily Lutrinae in the weasel family (Mustelidae), is equally versatile in the water and on land. River otters are totally protected in 17 states. [26][34][36][50] Otters consume more aquatic insects in the summer as the populations increase and specific life stages heighten their susceptibility. A group of otters is called a romp of otters. River otter Lontra canadensis populations in the United States have expanded during the past 50 y as a result of improvements in habitat quality and effective management programs implemented by state and federal agencies and native tribes. Do not throw any kind of trash, fertilizers, or poisons into any body of water. The impoundments from Aliceville Lake downstream to . Mammals of North America. Still these animals are commercially harvested: 20,000 - 30,000 are taken annually for their lustrous fur.Links:Mammal Species of the WorldClick here for The American Society of Mammalogists species account, (c) Discover Life and original sources, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC-SA). [54][57], Cases where otters have been ambushed and consumed by grizzly bears (Ursus arctos horribilis) and polar bears (Ursus maritimus) have also been reportedly witnessed near the Arctic region. They have small heads that widen through the neck into a long, thickset but streamlined body. [20] About one-third of the animal's total length consists of a long, tapered tail. [51], Adult North American river otters are capable of consuming 1 to 1.5 kilograms (2.2 to 3.3lb) of fish per day. Otters can travel several miles over land to reach another body of water to set up new territories. Because they are almost always very close to a body of water, if they hear a human they can jump into the water quickly and make a fast getaway. [1], Lontra canadensis is listed in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Most (n = 31, 63.3%) states used multiple methods to monitor river otter populations. Even the otters at the zoo have chosen their own latrine sights. Note: Above species may only be taken by TRAPPING ONLY. 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). Therefore, fish are more vulnerable to being preyed upon by otters because the crayfish have become more difficult to obtain. A Wisconsin zoo recently welcomed some adorable new additions to its family: three baby North American river otters. 1987. The Birmingham Zoo North American river otters are Slim, a male weighing in at 8.0kg (17.5 lbs), andLenora, afemale weighing in at 7.3kg (16 lbs.). ), and squawfishes (Ptychocheilus spp. [4] Occasional reports also show the river otter eating other small animals, such as mice, squirrels, birds, and even dogs that they've attacked and drowned. 1999. Results from this 2016 assessment provide the most recent account of river otter status and distribution in United States to our knowledge. 2003) using ArcMap (ESRI 2011). [23], Like other otters, the North American river otter lives in a holt, or den, constructed in the burrows of other animals, or in natural hollows, such as under a log or in river banks. Specific threats include predation, pollution, and cars. As of 2016, 23 states had conducted river otter reintroductions. Impounded for the creation of the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, barge traffic and recreational boats are now able to move all the way from the Tennessee River to the Port of Mobile. DISTRIBUTION: Lutra was the early European name (from Latin), and the specific epithet canadensis[9] means "of Canada". Fish and Wildlife Service. Males sometimes form a group with other young males until breeding season; otherwise a group of otters is typically a female with her young pups or pups from the previous litter. North American river otters are mainly fish eaters. National Audubon Society. In Mexico, the North American river otters lived in the Rio Grande and Colorado River Deltas. Otters are very secretive and shy and would rather run away than attack. Females allow the male to return after approximately 10 to12 weeks to assist with rearing and teaching the pups essential survival skills. A groundbreaking bipartisan bill aims to address the looming wildlife crisis before it's too late, while creating sorely needed jobs. We received responses from all 48 contiguous states and interviewed agency personnel in Alaska; not all responses were complete (Table S1). FEEDING HABITS: [23], Although commonly called a "river otter", the North American river otter is found in a wide variety of aquatic habitats, both freshwater and coastal marine, including lakes, rivers, inland wetlands, coastal shorelines, marshes, and estuaries. 2630 Cahaba Road Furthermore, because river otters serve as a biomonitor for banned organochlorine pesticides in Illinois, a tool such as SVR used to inform researchers about optimal months for scat collection may facilitate the use of scat for chemical analysis and potential identification of individual otters via genetic profiles from scats (Carpenter et al . River otters are found throughout most of North America from the Rio Grande to Canada and Alaska, except for in arid deserts and the treeless Arctic. Continued monitoring of the population status and distribution at state and national levels would likely detect any significant changes should they occur. [47] In Canada, North American river otters occupy all provinces and territories, except until recently Prince Edward Island. [1] The North American river otter existed on all parts of the Pacific Coast, including the seashore and inland streams and lakes. beaver river otter. HABITAT: in hatcheries or other fish culture facilities). Although populations may continue to increase numerically, river otters may be approaching their potential geographic distribution in the United States. By the early 1900s river otters had been completely extirpated from 11 states and had experienced severe population declines in 9 other states (Deems and Pursley 1978). Current status of populations unknown. Predators: Include the bobcat, coyote and birds of . and redhorses (Moxostoma spp. (c) Biodiversity Heritage Library, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA). It can tolerate a great range of temperature and elevations. A member of the weasel family, otters are semiaquatic animals that feed on insects, fish, amphibians, small reptiles, and shellfish. River otter status, management, and distribution in the United States: evidence of large-scale population increase and range expansion. Twentyseven states, including Alabama, have trapping seasons, and four states and two provinces [58][59][37][60], Threats to North American river otter populations in North America vary regionally. Although methodologies and sampling scales differed from the approach used in our assessment, comparisons of land areas occupied during each period provided a coarse-scale basis for estimates of population expansion or retraction during an 18-y period. Their tails are muscular, dorsally flattened and tapered. [22], Its whiskers (vibrissae) are long and thick, enhancing their senses. States reported a variety of methods that were used to monitor river otter populations.
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