Moreover, a western Oregon study revealed fish remains were present in 80% of the 103 digestive tracts examined. Twenty-two states reported increasing populations while 25 reported stable populations. They were extirpated from portions of their range, but conservation and reintroduction efforts are helping populations to recover. [1] They are now absent or rare in Arizona, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, and West Virginia. Take the Clean Earth Challenge and help make the planet a happier, healthier place. Lutra was the early European name (from Latin), and the specific epithet canadensis[9] means "of Canada". Houghton Mifflin Co., New York, NY. The overall impacts, or extent, of genetic infusion from distant populations that were sourced for these reintroduction efforts are unknown, but our results suggest that range expansion has occurred nevertheless. [33], Although they consume birds, North American river otters do not feed on bird eggs. 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. Otters have five toes and the heel pad tends to be somewhat horseshoe shaped. ), shiners (Notropis and Richardsonius spp. We thank the many state natural resource agencies for their responses and cooperation. North American river otters can close their nostrils to keep water out during long dives. Their tails are muscular, dorsally flattened and tapered. Mammals of North America. Reintroduction projects have been particularly valuable in restoring populations in many areas of the United States. They first learn to swim after about two months. 2006. The den typically has many tunnel openings, one of which generally allows the otter to enter and exit the body of water. Diet Carnivore, Piscivores Mating Habits MATING BEHAVIOR Polygyny In the winter, crayfish made up one-third of the North American river otter's diet. 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. 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. Critter Control near me ); and Ictaluridae, which consists of bullheads and catfish (Ictalurus spp.). The playful North American river otter is well adapted for semi-aquatic living. [33] Crustaceans (crayfish), where regionally available, are the second-most important prey for otters. VIDEO. Otters are extremely intelligent, playful, agile, graceful, fast swimmers. [16], North American river otters can live 2125 years in captivity,[23][16] or 813 years in the wild. The smallest otter species is the Asian small-clawed otter, and the largest species, with two tied for first, is the giant otter and the sea otter. River otters were reported to be ubiquitous throughout Alaska south of the Brooks Range (Alaska Department of Fish and Game, personal communication). If there is no evidence of otters in a body of water it could mean that the body of water has been polluted or is unhealthy. River otters were legally harvested in 40 states as of 2016. [9] The mammal was identified as a species of otter and has a variety of common names, including North American river otter, northern river otter, common otter and, simply, river otter. Most states used multiple methods to monitor river otter populations including harvest-based surveys, presenceabsence surveys, and empirically derived population model predictions; harvest-based surveys were the most commonly used monitoring approach. The river otter is protected and insulated by a thick, water-repellent coat of fur. https://doi.org/10.3996/102018-JFWM-093. [39] Remains of the much larger North American beaver have been found in North American river otter scat in some regions, although most otter dietary studies in areas where otters and beaver live near each other do not show them to be regular predators of beavers (despite the claims of fur-trappers that otters frequently hunt beavers) and perhaps only young beaver kits may be attacked. 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. The impoundments from Aliceville Lake downstream to . [30] However, river otters will prey on trout, pike, walleye (Sander vitreus vitreus), salmon (Oncorhynchus spp. 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. This article will refer to the twelve species of river otter, information about sea otters can be viewed here. [30][38] North American river otters do not generally handle prey of a large size relative to themselves but there are occasions where they've been observed ambushing and killing adult common snapping turtles while the large turtles (which are roughly equal in average body weight to a North American river otter) are hibernating. 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. Typically near bodies of water including streams, rivers, lakes and fresh and salt water marshes. The tail makes up about a third of their total length. will only copy the licensed content. [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). 351 pp. Chilelli et al. This continued numeric and geographic expansion was fostered by conservation management programs by state and federal agencies, natural dispersal and expansion of existing populations into increasingly suitable habitats, and reintroduction efforts by state wildlife agencies and conservation partnerships (Raesly 2001). Similarly, it is possible that false-negatives occurred, particularly at lower population densities. 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. [11], In a new classification, the species is called Lontra canadensis, where the genus Lontra includes all the New World river otters. DESCRIPTION: However, improvements in water quality (through enactment of clean water regulations) and furbearer management techniques have permitted river otters to regain portions of their range in many areas. If frightened or alarmed, otters can run at speeds up to 18 miles per hour. [22], Its whiskers (vibrissae) are long and thick, enhancing their senses. It can tolerate a great range of temperature and elevations. Chasing is also a common game. 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) [41], Delayed implantation distinguishes the species from the European otter, which does not do this. Its body length ranges from 66 to 107 centimetres (26 to 42in). 2020. This reach of the Alabama River is located within a 30-minute drive of hotels, restaurants, service stations, and grocery stores in Monroeville, Grove Hill, and Jackson. An adult North American river otter can weigh between 5.0 and 14kg (11.0 and 30.9lb). Likewise, the potential predatory impact of otters may be considerable whenever fish are physically confined (most commonly in smaller ponds offering sparse cover or other escape options). When females leave, they tend to move much further away (6090km or 3756mi) than males (up to 30km or 19mi), which tend to move shorter distances. [20] Litter size can reach five, but usually ranges from one to three. The most common fish consumed are perch, suckers, and catfish. While current harvest strategies do not pose a threat to maintaining otter populations, harvest may limit expansion of otter populations in some areas. north american river otter. River Otters can be thought of - and in a very real sense are - semi-aquatic weasels. 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. They have small, round heads with small eyes and ears and prominent whiskers. As a result, slow-swimming fish are consumed more often than game fishes when both are equally available. As of 2016, 23 states had conducted river otter reintroductions. They prey most often on slower fish, such as catfish, carp and sculpins. 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. Only three states (Illinois, Kentucky, and North Dakota) did not provide a response to our question about regulation review frequency (Table 1). River otters are omnivorous, eating mostly aquatic organisms, including fish, frogs, crayfish, turtles, insects and some small mammals. Although is unlikely that river otters inhabit the entire county, we believe this to be a sufficient and consistent with other species assessments. Peterson Field Guide, Mammals. 2006. They can thrive in any water habitat, such as ponds, marshes, lakes, rivers, and estuariesin cold, warm, or even high-elevation areasas long as the habitat provides adequate food. 2004. Reproduction: Once yearly with an average litter of 2-3 and up to 6. Diet in hatcheries or other fish culture facilities). (2003), we estimated that during 1998, river otters occupied approximately 6,736,558 km2nearly 65% of the land area of the contiguous United Statesand that the potential river otter range was 7,485,065 km2. 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. Even fast-swimming fish like trout slow down in extremely cold water, leaving them vulnerable. River otters have a high dispersal capacity and are capable of extensive long-distance movements over land, including mountainous terrain and across watersheds (Magoun and Valkenburg 1977, Melquist and Hornocker 1983). River otter reintroductions were widespread during the late 20th century (Raesly 2001). giant river otter. The river otter is adapted for both land and water with short legs, webbed toes, and a strong, flattened tail. Bobcats, alligators, coyotes, raptors, and other large predators will sometimes prey on North American river otters. They live in riparian zones, often in the same areas as beavers. The ears appear large on its small flattened head. As of 2016, >4,000 river otters have been translocated to 23 states in one of the most ambitious and extensive carnivore restoration efforts in history (Erb et al. River otter fur ranges from light to dark, rich brown. [30][31] Mammals preyed upon by North American river otters are characteristically small or are a type species found in riparian zones. ), chubs (Semotilus spp. We categorized the frequencies of regulatory review within state agencies into the following: never, every 45 y, every 23 y, annually, and immediately as needed. [34][50] Invertebrates discovered within scats or digestive tracts could most likely be a secondary food item, first being consumed by the fish that are subsequently preyed upon by the North American river otters. American Midland Naturalist 156: 189-192. Found throughout the United States and Canada. [27], North American river otters are renowned for their sense of play. Smithsonian Institution Press. They have small heads that widen through the neck into a long, thickset but streamlined body. 1980. Periodic assessments of river otter status, population trends, and geographic distribution are needed to detect changes in populations, assess management approaches, and to identify and prioritize conservation efforts. [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. [5][6][7], The range of the North American river otter has been significantly reduced by habitat loss, beginning with the European colonization of the Americas. . Prior to the arrival of the next litter, the North American river otter yearlings venture out in search of their own home ranges.[44]. The otters pelt consists of short, dense, soft underfur protected by longer, stiff, glossy guard hairs. River otters are also valued as a game species and furbearer ( Melquist et al. The Ontario Trappers Association, 1150 pp. Other restoration efforts were conducted to bolster existing river otter populations and to expand otter distributions and provide connectivity within states that had existing, but not ubiquitous, river otter populations (Table 1). The North American river otters may leave the den by eight weeks and are capable of sustaining themselves upon the arrival of fall, but they usually stay with their families, which sometimes include the father, until the following spring. They are fast, agile swimmers and able to out-maneuver their prey. 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. , thickset but streamlined body states as of 2016, 23 states had conducted river otter protected... 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