North American River North American River OtterOtter

Lontra CanadensisLontra Canadensis

Ben RobinsonBen Robinson

TaxonomyTaxonomy

Order: CarnivoraOrder: Carnivora Family: MustelidaeFamily: Mustelidae Subfamily: LutrinaeSubfamily: Lutrinae Genus: LontraGenus: Lontra Species: Species:

CanadensisCanadensis

                                          

         

River Otter IdentificationRiver Otter Identification

Color: Dark brown with Color: Dark brown with paler bellypaler belly

Throat often sliver-grayThroat often sliver-gray Total length: 38-58 inTotal length: 38-58 in

Weight: 11-33 lbsWeight: 11-33 lbs Hair: very smooth, Hair: very smooth,

repels water easilyrepels water easily Long, slender Long, slender

body=excellent body=excellent swimmerswimmer

                                    

              

Identification continuedIdentification continued

Long, stiff facial whiskers below the noseLong, stiff facial whiskers below the nose which aid in locating and capture of preywhich aid in locating and capture of prey

Carnivorous teeth: adapted for grasping, grinding, shearing, and Carnivorous teeth: adapted for grasping, grinding, shearing, and crushingcrushing

Feet: large and completely webbedFeet: large and completely webbed

Tail: very muscular, important for swimming, makes up 50% of Tail: very muscular, important for swimming, makes up 50% of total body lengthtotal body length

Maximum body length is reached at 3-4 yearsMaximum body length is reached at 3-4 years

Typical Foods: Fish, aquatic insects, crayfish, snakes, frogs, and to Typical Foods: Fish, aquatic insects, crayfish, snakes, frogs, and to a lesser extent waterfowl and a lesser extent waterfowl and mammals. mammals.

North American River Otter North American River Otter SkeletonSkeleton

*Note the Long Tail**Note the Long Tail*

River Otter TracksRiver Otter Tracks

Life HistoryLife History

Breeding: early spring; Breeding: early spring; mating may take place mating may take place in water or on landin water or on land

No strong bond No strong bond between male and between male and femalefemale

Male will mate with Male will mate with more than one femalemore than one female

Males will compete Males will compete heavily for femalesheavily for females

Females exhibit Females exhibit delayed implantationdelayed implantation

Life History continuedLife History continued

Delayed Implantation: female may retain the Delayed Implantation: female may retain the fertilized egg for long periods of time before fertilized egg for long periods of time before implantation to become more nutritionally fitimplantation to become more nutritionally fit

Young: born April-MayYoung: born April-May

litter 1-5 pupslitter 1-5 pups

young born with eyes closed and no teethyoung born with eyes closed and no teeth

female cares for pupsfemale cares for pups

pups begin to swim at 2 monthspups begin to swim at 2 months

weaned at 4-5 months, may stay with mother for weaned at 4-5 months, may stay with mother for 1 year1 year

Life History continuedLife History continued

Males and females are Males and females are able to reproduce at 2 able to reproduce at 2 years, however males years, however males may not be successful may not be successful until ages 5-7until ages 5-7

Voice:Voice: Whistle and Whistle and chattering call during chattering call during mating season, soft mating season, soft chuckle, chirp, grunt, chuckle, chirp, grunt, snort, and growlsnort, and growl

Sounds of the OtterSounds of the Otter

Otter

Otter Talk

Upset Otter                                      

Diversity of GroupDiversity of Group13 species worldwide; 2 in North America13 species worldwide; 2 in North America

SpeciesSpecies

Cape-clawless otterCape-clawless otter

Oriental-small clawed otterOriental-small clawed otter

Congo Clawless otterCongo Clawless otter

Sea otterSea otter

North American River OtterNorth American River Otter

Marine OtterMarine Otter

Neotropical OtterNeotropical Otter

Southern River OtterSouthern River Otter

Eurasian OtterEurasian Otter

Spotted-necked otterSpotted-necked otter

RangeRange

AfricaAfrica

AsiaAsia

AfricaAfrica

North AmericaNorth America

North AmericaNorth America

South AmericaSouth America

Mexico & South AmericaMexico & South America

South AmericaSouth America

Asia & EuropeAsia & Europe

AfricaAfrica

Diversity continuedDiversity continued

SpeciesSpecies

India smooth-coated otterIndia smooth-coated otter

Hairy-nosed otterHairy-nosed otter

Giant OtterGiant Otter

RangeRange

AsiaAsia

Southern Iraq & AsiaSouthern Iraq & Asia

South AmericaSouth America

North American Population North American Population StatusStatus

and Status in Kentuckyand Status in Kentucky North America: North America: River Otter numbers have drastically River Otter numbers have drastically

decreased since the 1800’sdecreased since the 1800’s

WHY?WHY? Over-harvest (trapping), Habitat Destruction, and Over-harvest (trapping), Habitat Destruction, and PollutionPollution

Over 30,000 pelts are sold annually in the United States todayOver 30,000 pelts are sold annually in the United States today

DDT pollution: gets into the liver and slowly kills the animal (a DDT pollution: gets into the liver and slowly kills the animal (a big problem in the past)big problem in the past)

Chemicals from crops (pesticides, herbicides) get into fish Chemicals from crops (pesticides, herbicides) get into fish from run-off and the otter eats the fish = SLOW DEATHfrom run-off and the otter eats the fish = SLOW DEATH

Status in KentuckyStatus in Kentucky

Statewide, but not Statewide, but not very commonvery common

Generally more Generally more abundant in abundant in western Kentuckywestern Kentucky

Increasing in Increasing in central and eastern central and eastern restoration areasrestoration areas

2003-04 Small Game Kentucky 2003-04 Small Game Kentucky Hunting Seasons Hunting Seasons

ALL FURBEARER HUNTING & ALL FURBEARER HUNTING & TRAPPINGTRAPPING

Noon November 10, 2003 through Noon November 10, 2003 through noon February 29, 2004 noon February 29, 2004

(Includes raccoon, opossum, mink, (Includes raccoon, opossum, mink, muskrat, beaver, red fox, gray fox, muskrat, beaver, red fox, gray fox, weasel and striped skunk)weasel and striped skunk)

*NOTE: NO River Otter**NOTE: NO River Otter*

Threatened or EndangeredThreatened or Endangered

Not federally threatened or endangered, but Not federally threatened or endangered, but could become so due to drastic declines in could become so due to drastic declines in numbers! Are listed as threatened by some numbers! Are listed as threatened by some individual states.individual states.

Wetland Habitat NeedsWetland Habitat Needs

Found in a variety of aquatic habitats: Found in a variety of aquatic habitats: from riparian to riverine to marinefrom riparian to riverine to marine

Only found in areas with adequate Only found in areas with adequate vegetative covervegetative cover

Must have sufficient food supplyMust have sufficient food supply Need a variety of dens, activity, and Need a variety of dens, activity, and

resting areasresting areas

EcologyEcology

The River Otter is a The River Otter is a predator at the top of predator at the top of the aquatic food chainthe aquatic food chain

Important in the Important in the nutrient cycle by nutrient cycle by transferring nutrients transferring nutrients from one ecosystem to from one ecosystem to anotheranother

Does this by feeding on Does this by feeding on aquatic organisms, then aquatic organisms, then leaves its waste on landleaves its waste on land

Ecology continuedEcology continued

River otters frequent the same River otters frequent the same terrestrial area to deposit waste; terrestrial area to deposit waste; known as a latrineknown as a latrine

Even though Otters are predators, Even though Otters are predators, the pups are constantly preyed upon the pups are constantly preyed upon by Bald Eagles and other large birdsby Bald Eagles and other large birds

Management ConcernsManagement Concerns

Most states have strict regulations on otter Most states have strict regulations on otter harvestharvest

However, they are less strict on beaver However, they are less strict on beaver harvestharvest

Otters and Beavers occupy the same habitat Otters and Beavers occupy the same habitat types = otters being trapped in beaver setstypes = otters being trapped in beaver sets

Because otters (carnivores) require more Because otters (carnivores) require more habitat area than say beavers or muskrats habitat area than say beavers or muskrats (herbivores), they will never be as abundant as (herbivores), they will never be as abundant as these animals these animals

Management ConcernsManagement ConcernsWhat is being done?What is being done?

Many states closely monitor otter Many states closely monitor otter numbersnumbers

HOW?HOW?

1)Pelt Regristration1)Pelt Regristration

2)Fur buyer and trapper questionnaires2)Fur buyer and trapper questionnaires

3)Winter track counts3)Winter track counts

4)Mammal observation studies4)Mammal observation studies

Latrine SystemLatrine System

The latrine system “bathroom” used by The latrine system “bathroom” used by otters is one technique used by otters is one technique used by managers to monitor the abundance of managers to monitor the abundance of otters in an areaotters in an area

According to the Alaska Department of According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, River Otter habitat Fish and Game, River Otter habitat selection and population monitoring can selection and population monitoring can be achieved by studying latrine sitesbe achieved by studying latrine sites

Thank you for your time…Any questions?