One of the great success stories of modern conservation has been the reintroduction of the North American river otter to areas where it was wiped out due to pollution, loss of habitat and overharvest for the fur trade. While native to almost all watersheds in New York and Pennsylvania, in the early 1900s, these interesting furbearers were missing from most of our two states. Let’s learn a little bit about them.

Being an apex predator of fish, the river otter is susceptible to the same pollution pyramid (called “biomagnification” by biologists) that results in warnings for humans about not eating large amounts of fish from polluted waters. The problem is that if bottom feeders ingest some mercury or PCBs, and small fish eat thousands of them, and medium fish eat thousands of the small fish, etc., etc., then the otter eating the big fish gets poisoned with a large amount.

Thank heavens we have established the EPA and taken large strides in cleaning up our environment and reducing further pollution. There has been a tremendous change for the better during my lifetime.

But this is a story about river otters and about our success in reestablishing them in NY and PA. In 1936 New York realized that something needed to be done to prevent extirpation of the species. The otter season was closed for 9 years, followed by very strict harvest limits.

Between 1982 and 2004, Pennsylvania released over 150 North American river otter throughout the Commonwealth. From 1995 to 2000, the New York River Otter Project (both DEC and volunteers) captured and released 279 otter in 16 different areas to help reestablish breeding populations. Both of these efforts were extremely successful and have returned the otter to much of its original habitat.

Otters eat primarily fish, but also consume amphibians and crustaceans as well as small birds and animals. They sometimes eat fruits. Otters can close both their nostrils and their ears while swimming. They are very agile and use their tails to help steer while submerged.

Baby otters are born both blind and toothless. Their eyes open after 30 to 40 days and the baby otter can eat solid food after about 9 to 10 weeks. One fascinating fact about otter reproduction is that the female can store fluid from the male in her body for up to 12 months so that she can time when the embryos form and the babies are born. Isn’t nature amazing?

While they are called river otters, they prefer emergent vegetation of freshwater wetlands. That means they really like beaver ponds more than rivers. They often coexist with beaver and according to the NYS DEC website have even occasionally been found to share the same lodges without fighting. I never knew that.

One very distinct characteristic of otters is that they use dedicated latrine sites for bodily wastes. Most animals go at random, but otters use the same spot over and over. It’s a good way to locate them in the wild.

I’m very happy to see the success with restoring the North American river otter. Kudos to all involved. Let’s keep the momentum going for other species. One other little fun fact about otters before I close: they sometimes groom their fur with “towels” made of grass and moss.

Let’s all enjoy the outdoors!

John S. Van Etten is the current president of the Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs of Sullivan County, Inc.