North American River Otter - The BASICS!

North American River Otter

(Lontra canadensis)

The posts this week are brief overviews of EACH of the otter species, focusing on recent information about each species and a vid or 2... 

 

This is the ONLY freshwater otter in ALL of North America, 

and, as long as it can access fresh water for cleaning up,

it is adapted to use brackish and marine habitats to!!!

North American River Otters are highly adaptable to different types of habitats, but they are very sensitive to pollution and changes in water quality. They are extremely playful, and turn almost all regular activities into a game. They do not tend to pair-bond (though sometimes they do), but males will help to raise the pups if given the opportunity. Males tend to be more solitary than females, but they don't do well alone for long periods of time and will seek out the company of other otters.



This is the ONLY otter species in the world with a population status of "Stable".




Status: Least Concern and Stable



The North American River Otter has a very large range and can be found throughout most of the US (the map below isn't quite accurate, we'll be creating a more accurate map, it is not found in very arid regions). It's habitat overlaps with the sea otter along the west coast of the US.

There are TONS (if you could weigh content on the internet ;) ) of videos "out there" of North American River Otters! GO! ENJOY!!! (but in the mean time, here are a few from us!)

Let's just start with this...

If you want more in-depth reading a few research articles you could explore on these otters includes:

>   Genetic variation among populations of river otters in North America: considerations for reintroduction projects, TL Serfass, RP Brooks, JM Novak. Journal of Mamm., 1998 
>   Deciphering ecological barriers to North American river otter (Lontra canadensis) gene flow in the Louisiana landscape, EK Latch, DG Scognamillo, JA Fike. Journal of Am Gen, 2008 
>  Ten new polymorphic microsatellite loci for North American river otters (Lontra canadensis) and their utility in related mustelids, AS Beheler, JA Fike, G Dharmarajan. Molecular Ecology, 2005 
>  Characterization of basal seminal traits and reproductive endocrine profiles in North American river otters and Asian small‐clawed otters, HL Bateman, JB Bond, M Campbell, M Barrie. Zoo …, 2009
>  Perfluorooctanesulfonate and related fluorinated hydrocarbons in mink and river otters from the United States, K Kannan, J Newsted, RS Halbrook. Environmental science & ACS Publ, 2002 
>  Prey selection by marine-coastal river otters (Lontra canadensis) in Newfoundland, Canada, D Cote, HMJ Stewart, RS Gregory. Journal of Mamm, 2008

South American River Otter - Basics!

South American /Southern River Otter 

(Lontra provocax)

The posts this week are brief overviews of EACH of the otter species, focusing on recent information about each species and a vid or 2... 

 

This otter shares large parts of it's the marine otter's marine habitat. 

Southern River Otters tend to have a very short life span. Few live to maturity, and only 1% live to 10 years of age. They are generally solitary, coming together mainly to mate. The female raises the pups alone, and there are no social groups beyond this.   They have territories like other otters, but the size of these territories is unknown and it appears that they are not particularly defensive of them.

Status: Endangered and Decreasing

South American River otters live in fresh and salt water habitats along the lower (primarily western) coast of South America, in red in the map on the left.







The habitat range of the Marine Otter overlaps in Chile with the other "most southerly" Lontra-otter, the South American River otter.














Southern River otter in captivity, eating.

If you want more in-depth reading a few research articles you could explore on these otters includes:

>   Understanding the inter-specific dynamics of two co-existing predators in the Tierra del Fuego Archipelago: the native southern river otter and the exotic American. AEJ Valenzuela, AR Rey, L Fasola, A Schiavini - Biological invasions, 2013

>   Diversity of mtDNA in southern river otter (Lontra provocax) from Argentinean Patagonia

D Centrón, B Ramirez, L Fasola… - Journal of Am Genetic Assoc, 2008

>   Phylogeography of the Patagonian otter Lontra provocax: adaptive divergence to marine habitat or signature of southern glacial refugia? JA Vianna, G Medina-Vogel, BMC, 2011