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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?