Otter

Scientific Name: Lontra canadensis (North American river otter)
Common Name: River Otter

        Where They Live

River otters are found across:

• North America – from Alaska and Canada down to the Gulf of Mexico

They live in:

• Rivers, streams, marshes, ponds, and coastal shorelines

• Dens in riverbanks (often reused beaver or muskrat burrows)

            Fun Facts

• Otters can hold their breath for up to 8 minutes underwater!

• They have a third eyelid (called a nictitating membrane) that acts like swim goggles.

• Otters love to play—sliding down muddy banks and wrestling in the water.

• They’re fast swimmers, using their tails like rudders and webbed feet for propulsion.

• Otters keep warm with the densest fur of any mammal—up to 1 million hairs per square inch!

• A group of otters in water is called a raft; on land, it’s sometimes called a romp.

    Endangered Status

Species Status 

North American River Otter Least Concern Populations are stable or increasing due to conservation

Sea

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Otter Endangered/Vulnerable Populations recovering but still at risk from oil spills and habitat loss

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Giant Otter (South America) Endangered Critically threatened by habitat destruction and poaching

       Otters face threats like:

• Pollution (especially oil and chemical runoff)

• Habitat destruction

• Trapping (historically for fur)

Thanks to reintroduction efforts and habitat protection, the North American river otter has bounced back in many areas!