The North American river otter (Lontra canadensis), also known as the northern river otter or the common otter, is a semiaquatic mammal endemic to the North American continent found in and along its waterways and coasts.
As sometimes happens, a reader of this blog will ask me to identify a bird or animal they spotted or send a photo of what they consider a rare siting. A number of readers have reported seeing fishers in NJ, for example. Recently I had no inquiries asking first if NJ has otters living here and another sending photos of some otters at play.
Yes, we do have otters. They are not endangered or even that rare, but they are elusive and won't be wandering into your suburban backyard like deer and wild turkeys.
The river otter (Lontra canadensis) was once found in virtually all streams, rivers and larger lakes of New Jersey, including tidewaters. Although they were and still are trapped in New Jersey for their fur, habitat loss is the main reason they are less common than they used to be.Here's an otter on Parvin Lake NJ seen this march #WorldOtterDay @Endangered_NJ pic.twitter.com/EYWIzSr1CK— EcoBassAngler (@durand_craig) May 30, 2018
Development and environmental degradation of waterways have led to population declines not just in New Jersey, but all over the country.
River otters have made a comeback since the mid 1900’s thanks to conservation and reintroduction efforts and tougher water pollution regulations.
An adult North American river otter can weigh between 5.0 and 14 kg (11.0 and 30.9 lb). The river otter is protected and insulated by a thick, water-repellent coat of fur.
Otters are the most aquatic member of the mustelid family, a group of mammals that includes weasels, mink and skunks.
They’re highly social animals, and form family groups centered around a female and her young. However, both parents will take care of the young.
A river otter’s diet consists mostly of fish, though they will eat reptiles, amphibians, crustaceans, mollusks, insects and even small birds and mammals. They utilize their long stiff whiskers to help find prey and with the use of special flaps they close off their nostrils and ears and are able to remain submerged underwater for up to eight minutes on one breath.
From spring to fall, they tend to be nocturnal. In winter, they tend to be more active during the day in preparation for breeding season.
They are one of the mammals that live in the Pine Barrens. In both fresh and brackish waters, they most often are reported in the lower stretches of rivers flowing into the Atlantic coast estuaries, but might also be seen in cranberry bogs and reservoirs in the heart of the Pine Barrens.
Given their secretive habits, one is far more likely to see otter-signs, such as the slides they wear into stream banks, than to catch sight of an otter itself.
Have you seen, photographed or caught some video of an otter in New Jersey?
