River Otter Lontra Canadensis

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North American River OtterLontra Canadensis

• Ben Robinson

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Taxonomy

                                                   

• Order Carnivora
• Family Mustelidae
• Subfamily Lutrinae
• Genus Lontra
• Species Canadensis

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River Otter Identification

                                                  

• Color Dark brown with paler belly
• Throat often sliver-gray
• Total length 38-58 in
• Weight 11-33 lbs
• Hair very smooth, repels water easily
• Long, slender bodyexcellent swimmer

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Identification continued

• Long, stiff facial whiskers below the nose
• which aid in locating and capture of prey
• Carnivorous teeth adapted for grasping,
  grinding, shearing, and crushing
• Feet large and completely webbed
• Tail very muscular, important for swimming,
  makes up 50 of total body length
• Maximum body length is reached at 3-4 years
• Typical Foods Fish, aquatic insects, crayfish,
  snakes, frogs, and to a lesser
  extent
  waterfowl and mammals.

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North American River Otter SkeletonNote the
Long Tail

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River Otter Tracks
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Life History

• Breeding early spring mating may take place in
  water or on land
• No strong bond between male and female
• Male will mate with more than one female
• Males will compete heavily for females
• Females exhibit delayed implantation

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Life History continued

• Delayed Implantation female may retain the
  fertilized egg for long periods of time before
  implantation to become more nutritionally fit
• Young born April-May
• litter 1-5 pups
• young born with eyes closed and no teeth
• female cares for pups
• pups begin to swim at 2 months
• weaned at 4-5 months, may stay with mother for 1
  year

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Life History continued

• Males and females are able to reproduce at 2
  years, however males may not be successful until
  ages 5-7
• Voice Whistle and chattering call during mating
  season, soft chuckle, chirp, grunt, snort, and
  growl

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Sounds of the Otter

                                     
Otter
Otter Talk
Upset Otter
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Diversity of Group13 species worldwide 2 in
North America

• Species
• Cape-clawless otter
• Oriental-small clawed otter
• Congo Clawless otter
• Sea otter
• North American River Otter
• Marine Otter
• Neotropical Otter
• Southern River Otter
• Eurasian Otter
• Spotted-necked otter

• Range
• Africa
• Asia
• Africa
• North America
• North America
• South America
• Mexico South America
• South America
• Asia Europe
• Africa

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Diversity continued

• Species
• India smooth-coated otter
• Hairy-nosed otter
• Giant Otter

• Range
• Asia
• Southern Iraq Asia
• South America

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North American Population Statusand Status in
Kentucky

• North America River Otter numbers have
  drastically decreased since the 1800s
• WHY? Over-harvest (trapping), Habitat
  Destruction, and Pollution
• Over 30,000 pelts are sold annually in the United
  States today
• DDT pollution gets into the liver and slowly
  kills the animal (a big problem in the past)
• Chemicals from crops (pesticides, herbicides) get
  into fish from run-off and the otter eats the
  fish SLOW DEATH

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Status in Kentucky

• Statewide, but not very common
• Generally more abundant in western Kentucky
• Increasing in central and eastern restoration
  areas

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2003-04 Small Game Kentucky Hunting Seasons

• ALL FURBEARER HUNTING TRAPPING
• Noon November 10, 2003 through noon February 29,
  2004
• (Includes raccoon, opossum, mink, muskrat,
  beaver, red fox, gray fox, weasel and striped
  skunk)
• NOTE NO River Otter

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Threatened or Endangered

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

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Wetland Habitat Needs

• Found in a variety of aquatic habitats from
  riparian to riverine to marine
• Only found in areas with adequate vegetative
  cover
• Must have sufficient food supply
• Need a variety of dens, activity, and resting
  areas

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Ecology

• The River Otter is a predator at the top of the
  aquatic food chain
• Important in the nutrient cycle by transferring
  nutrients from one ecosystem to another
• Does this by feeding on aquatic organisms, then
  leaves its waste on land

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Ecology continued

• River otters frequent the same terrestrial area
  to deposit waste known as a latrine
• Even though Otters are predators, the pups are
  constantly preyed upon by Bald Eagles and other
  large birds

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Management Concerns

• Most states have strict regulations on otter
  harvest
• However, they are less strict on beaver harvest
• Otters and Beavers occupy the same habitat types
  otters being trapped in beaver sets
• Because otters (carnivores) require more habitat
  area than say beavers or muskrats (herbivores),
  they will never be as abundant as these animals

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Management ConcernsWhat is being done?

• Many states closely monitor otter numbers
• HOW?
• 1)Pelt Regristration
• 2)Fur buyer and trapper questionnaires
• 3)Winter track counts
• 4)Mammal observation studies

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Latrine System

• The latrine system bathroom used by otters is
  one technique used by managers to monitor the
  abundance of otters in an area
• According to the Alaska Department of Fish and
  Game, River Otter habitat selection and
  population monitoring can be achieved by studying
  latrine sites

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Thank you for your timeAny questions?
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