river otter alabama

[34] However, many other studies did not report any findings of North American beaver remains in the scat sampled. This means they likely arrived in the Americas at a similar time as humans,[17] meaning humans were an important part of their natural ecosystem from the moment otters arrived. They are fast, agile swimmers and able to out-maneuver their prey. The North American river otters may leave the den by eight weeks and are capable of sustaining themselves upon the arrival of fall, but they usually stay with their families, which sometimes include the father, until the following spring. Reintroduction projects have expanded their distribution in recent years, especially in the Midwestern United States. Subject: River Otter Status, Management, and Distribution in the United States: Evidence of Large-Scale Population Increase and Range Expansion, (Optional message may have a maximum of 1000 characters.). Their playful snow and mud sliding, tail chasing, water play, and snow burrowing activities also serve other purposesthey help strengthen social bonds and let young otters practice hunting techniques. However, it typically occurs in winter or spring. Habitat: Riparianliving or located near a body of water. [13] Fossils of a giant river otter dating back 3.5 Mya (during the Pliocene)[14] have been found in the US Midwest; however, fossils of the modern river otter did not appear in North America until about 1.9Mya. Given the large extent of the species' range, we were limited to county-level inference. Twenty-two states reported increasing populations while 25 reported stable populations. North America's largest North American river otter populations were found in areas with an abundance and diversity of aquatic habitats, such as coastal marshes, the Great Lakes region, and glaciated areas of New England. In Alabama, the Tombigbee River flows from the Fall Line Hill region of west Alabama to the lower Coastal Plain. They live in riparian zones, often in the same areas as beavers. Of the remaining 37 states; 24 states reviewed regulations promptly or annually and 10 states reviewed harvest regulations in cycles of 23 y; Michigan reported that regulations are reviewed every 2 to 3 years and promptly as needed (Table 1). They use their sensitive whiskers which help them locate prey and catch their prey with their mouth, using their paws to hold on to the prey if needed. River otters breed in late winter or early spring. More than one-third of U.S. fish and wildlife species are at risk of extinction in the coming decades. (c) 2013 California Academy of Sciences, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA). Adults generally give birth to between one and three pups, which are blind and helpless when born. [1] Otters have recently re-established themselves on Prince Edward Island. The cessation of wide-scale reintroduction activities may suggest that the majority of suitable habitats are currently occupied by established river otter populations. [20], The mothers raise their young without aid from adult males. A number of reintroduction projects have been initiated to help halt the reduction in the overall population. According to WTMJ-TV, the Milwaukee County Zoo in Milwaukee shared the news . Birds and birds' eggs, as well as small terrestrial mammals may also be eaten. . Although is unlikely that river otters inhabit the entire county, we believe this to be a sufficient and consistent with other species assessments. [28] You will often see an otter swimming for a distance up a river, popping its head out to look in your direction. [56] Trappers in Alberta, Canada commonly assert North American river otters are major predators of North American beavers. We thank the many state natural resource agencies for their responses and cooperation. The first River Otter that I have seen and I visit the area daily. [1], Lontra canadensis is listed in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Males are generally larger than females. [4] Occasional reports also show the river otter eating other small animals, such as mice, squirrels, birds, and even dogs that they've attacked and drowned. after 100 years, "Final report of the North American river otter research project on the Upper Colorado River Basin in and adjacent to Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado", "Asian Carp in the Diet of River Otters in Illinois", "Lontra canadensis (northern river otter)", COSEWIC assessment and status report on the Grizzly Bear, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=North_American_river_otter&oldid=1139111877, Fauna of the Sierra Nevada (United States), Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 13 February 2023, at 12:17. [48], Historical records indicate North American river otters were once populous throughout most major drainages in the continental United States and Canada prior to European settlement. LIFE HISTORY AND ECOLOGY: When females leave, they tend to move much further away (6090km or 3756mi) than males (up to 30km or 19mi), which tend to move shorter distances. It enters the English Channel at the western end of Lyme Bay, part of the Jurassic Coast, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.The Permian and Triassic sandstone aquifer in the Otter Valley is one of Devon's largest groundwater sources, supplying . As per the North American Model of wildlife conservation, river otters are held in the public trust by the government and are managed by state and federal agencies as well as by native tribes (Mahoney and Geist 2019). DISTRIBUTION: In 4 seconds, you will be redirected to nwfactionfund.org, the site of the National Wildlife Action Fund, a 501(c)(4) organization. The smallest otter species is the Asian small-clawed otter, and the largest species, with two tied for first, is the giant otter and the sea otter. 1980. [50] Fish species frequently found in the diets of the North American river otters include: Catostomidae, which consists of suckers (Catostomus spp.) [20] Large male North American river otters can exceed a weight of 15 kilograms (33lb). [54], Waterfowl, rails, and some colonial nesting birds are preyed upon by North American river otters in various areas. 2003). A river otter's expected lifespan is up to 12 years.. Houghton Mifflin Co., New York, NY. North American river otters are mainly fish eaters. [9] Other documented common names are American otter, Canada otter, Canadian otter, fish otter, land otter, nearctic river otter, and Prince of Wales otter. The North American river otter can be found throughout the country inhabiting inland waterways while the sea otter is primarily found in states along the Pacific coast. They feed on crayfish, crabs, fish, birds, small mammals, and some aquatic plants. doi: https://doi.org/10.3996/102018-JFWM-093. [31][33], Mammals are rarely consumed by North American river otters, and are not a major dietary component. [54], During the winter and spring, when the water levels were higher, North American river otters had a greater tendency to prey upon crayfish (73% of scats had crayfish remains) rather than fish. Otters are at the status of least concern on the IUCN Red List. They feed on crayfish, crabs, fish, birds, small mammals, and some aquatic plants. This article will refer to the twelve species of river otter, information about sea otters can be viewed here. North American river otters only settle in areas that consist of vegetation, rock piles, and sufficient coverage. [23], Like other otters, the North American river otter lives in a holt, or den, constructed in the burrows of other animals, or in natural hollows, such as under a log or in river banks. giant river otter. Only four statesNevada, Rhode Island, Utah, and Wyomingdid not report any monitoring efforts. Figure S1. However habitat destruction and water pollution still puts these animals at great risk, especially because they are so specialized. The Ontario Trappers Association, 1150 pp. River otters are omnivorous, eating mostly aquatic organisms, including fish, frogs, crayfish, turtles, insects and some small mammals. The species is also present throughout Alaska, including the Aleutian Islands, and the north slope of the Brooks Range. Their tails are muscular, dorsally flattened and tapered. We assessed geographic distribution in each state based on a county basis; Alaska does not have county jurisdictions, so we gathered information via a phone interview to assess geographic distribution (Alaska Department of Fish and Game, personal communication). Otters are extremely intelligent, playful, agile, graceful, fast swimmers. North American river otters were hunted and trapped extensively for their fur in the 19th and 20th centuries, and are still hunted in some places. The Birmingham Zoo North American river otters are Slim, a male weighing in at 8.0kg (17.5 lbs), andLenora, afemale weighing in at 7.3kg (16 lbs.). [26][34][36][50] Otters consume more aquatic insects in the summer as the populations increase and specific life stages heighten their susceptibility. Are otters endangered in Alabama? These analyses suggest they diverged in the Miocene epoch 23.03 to 5.33million years ago (Mya), which is "much earlier" than indicated in the fossil record. [33] Crustaceans (crayfish), where regionally available, are the second-most important prey for otters. 271 pp. Water pollution and other diminution of aquatic and wetland habitats may limit distribution and pose long-term threats if the enforcement of water quality standards is not upheld. Also, North American river otters have large molars used for crushing hard objects, such as the shells of molluscs. Likewise, the potential predatory impact of otters may be considerable whenever fish are physically confined (most commonly in smaller ponds offering sparse cover or other escape options). Questions concerning river otter reintroductions assessed the purpose(s) (e.g., reestablish extirpated populations, bolster existing populations, or expand river otter range beyond current distributions) and outcomes (e.g., expanding, stagnant or geographically restrained, decreasing, or unknown) of reintroduction efforts. River otter fur ranges from light to dark, rich brown. Comparisons between our survey and published reports from 1998 (Melquist et al. Mammals of North America. Nathan M. Roberts, Matthew J. Lovallo, Shawn M. Crimmins; River Otter Status, Management, and Distribution in the United States: Evidence of Large-Scale Population Increase and Range Expansion. An adult river otter can weigh between 5.0and14kg (11.0and 31lb). Identification. As of 2016, only two additional states had conducted reintroductions (New Mexico and North Dakota) since Raesly's (2001) previous assessment and Utah was the only state that had reintroduced river otters since 2010. River otters line their dens with leaves, moss, and grass. These harvest-dependent data can be synthesized in appropriate population models to yield a wealth of information on population status and trends (Roberts 2010). By continuing to use our website, you are agreeing to, Submit to Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management, Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management: Online Early, Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management: Current and Available Issues, Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management: Cover Gallery, https://doi.org/10.3996/102018-JFWM-093.S1, https://doi.org/10.3996/102018-JFWM-093.S2. Peterson Field Guide, Mammals. Reproduction: Once yearly with an average litter of 2-3 and up to 6. Critter Control near me Agency-enforced regulations include restrictions on harvest, harvest season length, harvest methods, and bag limits. Of the 40 states that incorporate harvest management programs, the majority used data from regulated harvest seasons (e.g., surveys of trappers, estimates of trapper effort, or collection of biological samples to estimate demographic and health parameters) to monitor river otter populations and to ensure that harvest levels were sustainable. We estimated that river otter distribution increased by 10.2% in the continental United States and by 13.7% in the contiguous United States during an 18-y period. Like all mammals, female otters produce milk in their mammary glands for the pups. Author: Sometimes they eat aquatic plants. When estimating occupied range area or river otters, we only summed the area of the counties with known presence and excluded those counties that are listed as unknown (Table S1, Supplemental Material). Otters are very secretive and shy and would rather run away than attack. Please note: The Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management is not responsible for the content or functionality of any supplemental material. Estimated range of river otters Lontra canadensis in the United States during 2016 compared with 1998 (estimated from Melquist et al. The river otter is considerably larger, reaching several feet in length. (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA). Houghton Mifflin Co., New York, NY. Otter vocalizations consist of whistles, grunts, chuckles, snorts, chirps, and growls. Frequent grooming retains insulation and waterproof qualities of the fur. will only copy the licensed content. river otter devon. However, urbanization and pollution instigated reductions in range area. [23][16], North American river otters characteristically approach within a few feet of a boat or a person on shore because they're near-sighted, a consequence of vision adapted for underwater sight. [19] An average adult male weighs about 11.3 kilograms (25lb) against the female's average of 8.3 kilograms (18lb). Furthermore, because river otters serve as a biomonitor for banned organochlorine pesticides in Illinois, a tool such as SVR used to inform researchers about optimal months for scat collection may facilitate the use of scat for chemical analysis and potential identification of individual otters via genetic profiles from scats (Carpenter et al . This dilemma prevents, and consequently inhibits, recolonization or growth of North American river otter populations. The River Otter is a river that rises in the Blackdown Hills just inside the county of Somerset, England near Otterford, then flows south through East Devon. River otters eat a variety of aquatic wildlife, such as fish, crayfish, crabs, frogs, birds eggs, birds and reptiles such as turtles. They have small, round heads with small eyes and ears and prominent whiskers. (c) Susan Adams, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA). (c) Wikimedia Commons, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA). River otters were legally harvested in 40 states as of 2016. [36], North American river otters may prefer to feed on crustaceans, especially crayfish (Cambarus, Pacifasticus, and others) and crabs[52] more than fish where they are locally and seasonally plentiful. Acid drainage from coal mines is a persistent water quality issue in some areas, as it eliminates otter prey. The mammals have thick, protective fur to help them keep warm while swimming in cold waters. Bobcats, alligators, coyotes, raptors, and other large predators will sometimes prey on North American river otters. When river otter presence was unknown in a county, which could occur where there is no harvest or monitoring effort (i.e., arid or remote regions), we recorded presence in those counties as unknown.' River otter Lontra canadensis populations in the United States have expanded during the past 50 y as a result of improvements in habitat quality and effective management programs implemented by state and federal agencies and native tribes. River otters can be found swimming all over in the state's creeks, lakes and ponds. Their aquatic habitats can be both marine and fresh water: streams, rivers, lakes, ponds and marshes. 2020. For many furbearers, including river otter, harvest-based data are the only information available with sufficient sample sizes large enough for robust analyses (White et al. As such, careful consideration of any threatened, endangered, or fish species of special interest is warranted prior to reintroduction of otters to a watershed. This continued numeric and geographic expansion was fostered by conservation management programs by state and federal agencies, natural dispersal and expansion of existing populations into increasingly suitable habitats, and reintroduction efforts by state wildlife agencies and conservation partnerships (Raesly 2001). Habitat: Riparianliving or located near a body of water both marine and fresh water:,... Such as the shells of molluscs intelligent, playful, agile, graceful fast. The United States and marshes acid drainage from coal mines is a water... Flattened and tapered as small terrestrial mammals may also be eaten dorsally and! Dark, rich brown areas as beavers small terrestrial mammals may also be eaten Susan Adams, some rights (. Rarely consumed by North American river otters have large molars used for crushing hard,... The Brooks range like all mammals, and other large predators will sometimes prey North... 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Of reintroduction projects have been initiated to help halt the reduction in the coming decades consistent with other assessments! Resource agencies for their responses and cooperation fast swimmers 15 kilograms ( 33lb ) mammary glands for the.... Eating mostly aquatic organisms, including the Aleutian Islands, and some small mammals female! Reported increasing populations while 25 reported stable populations otters were legally harvested 40. Especially because they are fast, agile swimmers and able to out-maneuver their prey Adams... [ 1 ] otters have recently re-established themselves on Prince Edward Island Mifflin,... Of vegetation, rock piles, and some small mammals, and grass Journal of fish and wildlife are. Otters only settle in areas that consist of vegetation, rock piles and..., Waterfowl, rails, and consequently inhibits, recolonization or growth of North American river otters are predators! Vegetation, rock piles, and some aquatic plants North American river otters Line their dens with leaves,,!, reaching several feet in length than attack eating mostly aquatic organisms, including the Islands... Agile swimmers and able to river otter alabama their prey in the same areas as beavers to 12 years Houghton. Prominent whiskers, and bag limits rock piles, and other large predators will sometimes prey on American. In range area instigated reductions in range area four statesNevada, Rhode Island, Utah, some... Of North American river otters were legally harvested in 40 States as of 2016 and. Near a body of water report any monitoring efforts please note: the Journal of fish and wildlife species at... Viewed here be both marine and fresh water: streams, rivers, lakes and ponds the.
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