Otter Tracks An aquatic mammal, the river otter is a playful, sociable animal. They enjoy carp, sunfish, minnows, suckers, sculpin and salmonids such as: River otters also prefer slower-moving fish to game fish. Small eyes and ears, a broad, flattened head, long cylindrical form, and four webbed feet suit it for its semiaquatic life. Their high metabolisms result in rapid food digestion. 2004); Evaluating structural characteristics and distribution of each ecological system relative to the species' range and habitat requirements; Examining the observation records for each species in the state-wide point observation database associated with each ecological system; Calculating the percentage of observations associated with each ecological system relative to the percent of Montana covered by each ecological system to get a measure of "observations versus availability of habitat". The river otter is most common in the tidewater and major river basins of the coastal plain (Lee et al. North American river otters, also called Canadian otters, have long, muscular, streamlined bodies with short legs and fully webbed feet bearing non-retractable claws. River otters may slide, chase and cavort, especially when it is time to mate. Male otters can grow to almost 4 feet long and can weigh up to 28 pounds. The American river otter is a graceful and beautiful addition to many North Carolina rivers. It has a long, slender body covered in brown, water proof fur. Habitat loss and water pollution also took detrimental tolls on river otters. 262 p. Commonly Associated with these Ecological Systems, Occasionally Associated with these Ecological Systems, Web Search Engines for Articles on "Northern River Otter", Additional Sources of Information Related to "Mammals". Small eyes and ears, a broad, flattened head, long cylindrical form, and four webbed feet suit it for its semiaquatic life. The northern river otter (Lontra canadensis, formerly Lutra canadensis) is a semi-aquatic carnivorous mammal in the Mustelidae or “weasel family” which includes weasels, minks, ferrets, wolverines and badgers. It plays by itself, or it slides and plays in the water with others in its family. River otters chew their food well, leaving very little waste. The North American River Otter's reproductive organs are similar to those of other small mammals. A lifelong writer, Dianne is also a content manager and science fiction & fantasy novelist. Otters have sharp claws on their feet to catch prey. It has 36 teeth. Abundant food resources may counterbalance minor structrual deficiencies in a habitat. Here's some links if you want to download a whole group. River otters are apex predators in their food web. The North American river otter is a member of the mustelid or weasel family that can be easily identified by a stout body, short legs, noticeably tapered tail and dense, short, glossy fur. 1998. Report to U.S. Forest Service Region 1. Audio file courtesy of the Acoustic Atlas at Montana State University (www.acousticatlas.org), (Click on the following maps and charts to see full sized version), (Observations spanning multiple months or years are excluded from time charts), Montana Natural Heritage Program and Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, http://FieldGuide.mt.gov/speciesDetail.aspx?elcode=AMAJF10010, Rocky Mountain Dry-Mesic Montane Mixed Conifer Forest, Northern Rocky Mountain Lower Montane Riparian Woodland and Shrubland, Rocky Mountain Lower Montane-Foothill Riparian Woodland and Shrubland, Rocky Mountain Subalpine-Montane Riparian Shrubland, Rocky Mountain Subalpine-Montane Riparian Woodland, Rocky Mountain Lower Montane, Foothill, and Valley Grassland, Rocky Mountain Subalpine-Montane Mesic Meadow, Rocky Mountain Subalpine Deciduous Shrubland, Beaver Institute (research, management, education), Beavers Northwest (conflict resolution, conservation, education), Identification Manual to the Small Mammals of British Columbia, Montana Department of Agriculture Vertebrate Pest Bulletins, Natural Heritage MapViewer (Statewide Database of Animal Observations), Species Accounts for Mammals of the World, Details on Creation and Suggested Uses and Limitations. Few river otter predators exist in nature. Food availability, determined by prey number and characteristics, determines level of use (Greer 1955 and Zackheim 1982). River otters belong to the weasel family. View in other NatureServe Network Field Guides, It seems your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio. The fur is dark brown or almost black above with lighter underside. Management of Montana's amphibians: a review of factors that may present a risk to population viability and accounts on the identification, distribution, taxonomy, habitat use, natural history, and the status and conservation of individual species. Protecting these fascinating, playful animals aids many species. Once abundant throughout the watersheds of the United States and Canada, river otter numbers suffered greatly due to hunting by humans. The river otter is protected and insulated by a thick, water-repellent coat of fur. Their fur is thick and brown on the tops of their bodies and pale gray on their undersides. 2004. Their toes are webbed, they have short legs and they boast a tapered tail ranging up to 15 inches long. Northern River Otter. Its thick, powerful tail makes up nearly 20 inches of that length. The North American river otter (Lontra canadensis), also known as the northern river otter or common otter, is a semiaquatic mammal endemic to the North American continent found in and along its waterways and coasts. Peterson, and R.L. River otters consume both aquatic animal and plant life, with some exceptions. The Northern River Otter can dive to 45 feet and stay underwater for some minutes (Zeveloff and Collett 1988). Hart, M.M., W.A. The river otter food chain also consists of mussels, bivalves, snails, crabs, crayfish, turtles, frogs, large beetles, worms, injured waterfowl or chicks, bird eggs, fish eggs, snakes and snake eggs. River otters play the role of apex predators, so the river otter food web represents great importance to many watersheds. Northern river otters have thick lustrous fur. They do live on land too but you may not see that as apparent as with other species of Otters. Its thick, powerful tail makes up nearly 20 inches of that length. Channel Set for Otters The long guard hairs remain pliable in very cold weather (Ulrich 1986), and the dense underfur traps air to insulate it in water. This animal’s lovely waterproof pelt, which allows it to regulate its temperature, in the 1700s-1800s, a regular part of French fur trade, has meant this animal has been hunted for hundreds of years. R1-93-34. He’s trying to climb up the pipe!” It was then that the explainer in me wanted to jump in and say, actually, no. The mammals have thick, protective fur to help them keep warm while swimming in cold waters. North American river otters are the only river otter that is found north of Mexico. Williams, P.C. The Northern River Otter has a long slender streamlined body, thick tapered tail, and short legs. A female river otter exhibits delayed implantation of her fertilized egg, so that it will not implant on her uterus for several months. J. Dianne Dotson is a science writer with a degree in zoology/ecology and evolutionary biology.