Their vocalizations include chirps, grunts, and loud piercing screams. In some provinces and states, major otter re-introduction projects are underway with much success. The otters typically capture prey in their mouths but occasionally use their thumbs and forepaws to grasp and manipulate prey. Average life expectancy. The den is usually dug into the bank of a stream but can be an old beaver's lodge, muskrat house or hollow tree. Some studies indicate that river otters pair for only a few months during the breeding season and have no further strong bonds. Increases in the range and numbers of river otters in response to the return of beaver has been dramatic, particularly in the southeastern United States. Their sex can be readily distinguished by the presence of a baculum (penile bone). Future genetic analysis of scat collected on all of the nearshore islands and the upper Cape will provide valuable information on connectivity between these populations. They remain as a family unit for seven to eight months or until the birth of a new litter. The Giant River Otter only lives in three river systems: the Amazon, Orinoco and La Plata. 100 Montrose, CO 81401 Otters prefer shores of deep, clear water in lakes, rivers, marshes and ocean bays. The ♀ gave birth to nine litters, with 14.6.1 pups born, 6.4 (48%) of which survived to > 1 year old. Following breeding and fertilization in spring, eggs (blastocysts) exist in a free-floating state until the following winter or early spring. Natal dens tend to be located on small headwater branches or streams leading to major drainages or lakes. and are the smallest marine mammal in North America. “Otters need fresh water to keep their fur clean and to drink, but they’re very comfortable in any kind of water. They have prominent whiskers just behind and below the nose, thick muscular necks and shoulders, and feet that are webbed between the toes. Otters are found from Newfoundland to Vancouver Island and north to Yukon Territory. In their role as predators, otters help regulate the local population of the organisms they consume. River otter were listed as endangered by the state of Illinois in 1989, with relict populations occurring in northwestern Illinois and extreme southern Illinois (Anderson 1995).The state recovery team, formed in 1993, developed a reintroduction program (Bluett et al. Although river otters weren’t seen and no tracks were found due to the terrain of the area, the evidence is solid. It represents our guide to managing otter populations in Pennsylvania for the next 10 years. The male otter is generally chased away until the young are weaned and old enough to leave the riverbank, at which time they may return and help raise the pups. River otters have long, stiff and highly sensitive facial whiskers that aid in locating and capturing prey. In other words, while some may be squeamish over the notion of trapping river otters for their hides, this activity, in a structured and regulated sense, helps to foster and reap the most robust data set for river otter population insight available. Lutra canadensis Status . They weigh about 4 to 6 ounces (113 to 170 grams) at birth and measure 8 to 11 inches (20 to 28 centimeters). River otters are adaptable animals inhabiting a variety of aquatic habitats including ponds, rivers, and saltmarshes. We receive no government funding, and depend solely on financial support from our friends. Socially, the basic group is the female and her offspring. Upon learning there was a need for volunteers with River Otter Ecology Project, I saw a chance to learn about the North American River Otter; not only to help chart the return of another otter species, but also, hopefully, help to prevent a recurrence of what I had observed all those years ago. It represents our guide to managing otter populations in Pennsylvania for the next 10 years. Adult otter can be over 50 inches long and weigh up to 25 lbs. Captured prey are brought to the surface for consumption, with the abdomen used as a table. As recently as the mid-1980s, more than 30,000 pelts were harvested annually. The otter's ears and nostrils close underwater. You can be an incredible ally for conservation! When threatened or frightened, they emit a hair-raising scream that can be heard up to 1.5 miles (2.4 kilometers) across the water. Habitat. For many years, it was thought that the Japanese river otter was a subspecies of the Eurasian otter Lutra lutra. Society for Conservation Biology North American River Otter (Lontra canadensis): A Technical Conservation Assessment Prepared for the USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Region, Species Conservation Project September 2, 2006 Steve Boyle BIO-Logic Environmental 635 East Main Ste. Educational Activities You Can Do at Home, About the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Your Go-to Guide for a Winter Day at the Zoo, Pouncing On Enrichment: Stories from Real-Life Zoo Gaurdians. North American river otters are likely the most numerous of the otter species. Females are slightly smaller, weighing 14-33 kg and measuring 1-1.4m in length. As prey, otters provide a great source of nutrients to animals that hunt them for food. Despite their name, they inhabit more than just rivers. It makes its home in a burrow near the water's edge, and can thrive in river, lake, swamp, or estuary ecosystems. River otters have long, stiff and highly sensitive facial whiskers that aid in locating and capturing prey. In response to this drop in population, regulations were put in place to reduce the amount being lost to … While young otters swim naturally, the mother must coax them into the water for their first swim. They are powerful swimmers and are continuously active, alert, and quick—characteristics that give them immense aesthetic and recreational value. They prefer unpolluted water with a minimal human disturbance. Webbing is greatly reduced on the front feet. Answers: 3 on a question: River otters drink about 5 times as much water as a bald eagle drinks in a day. The reproductive biology of river otters, as in other Mustelids, is unusual in that they exhibit delayed implantation. Today, accidental trappings in beaver traps constitute the most otter fatalities. River otters belong to the weasel family. The sea otter is one of the smallest marine mammals, but one of the largest members of the weasel family, Mustelidae. Otter Spotters help the River Otter Ecology Project keep track of the lively creatures, whose population was decimated by trappers and pollution. May and arrive silky black, blind, toothless and totally helpless after conception spring eggs. 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