River Otter - Lontra canadensis

Description

River otters are well suited to life in the water. They have streamlined bodies, webbed feet and long tapered tails. Their ears and nose close when they go underwater. Dense, oily fur and heavy layers of body fat insulate them in the water. The have an acute sense of smell, and prominent facial whiskers which are extremely sensitive to touch.

Otters are dark brown with pale brown or gray bellies. The muzzle and throat are silvery. Males and females look alike, though males are larger. Otters are relatively long-lived. In captivity, some bred at 17 years and lived to 19 years of age.

Habitat

River otters live in streams, rivers and lakes usually bordered by forest. Burrows may be under large tree roots, beneath rocky ledges, under fallen trees, or below thickets. The burrows are usually former homes of muskrats, beavers or woodchucks.

Habits

Otters are mostly nocturnal and active all year. They are graceful, powerful swimmers and can remain submerged for 3 to 4 minutes. On land, they travel with a loping gate. On snow or ice, they alternate loping with sliding.

Crayfish make up a large portion of an otter’s diet for most of the year, but during winter they feed almost exclusively on fish. Other foods include mussels, frogs, turtles, aquatic insects and other small animals. Otters use their whiskers to feel around underwater and find food.

Otters are social and generally live in family groups. They vocalize to each other through a variety of sounds including chirps, grunts and snarls. Otters also communicate through scent at latrine sites. They regularly visit these sites to deposit droppings and secretions from their musk glands.

Females whelp two to five young, usually in February or March. The young are weaned at 4 months of age but stay with their parents until the following spring.

Status and Distribution

A century ago, otters were nearly eliminated in Missouri because of unregulated harvest. Restoration efforts in the 1980s and early 1990s included the release of more than 800 otters in the state. Thanks to these efforts, otters are once again found throughout most of Missouri.