Otter News Archive

A river otter on a rock Frequently we are re- minded that Long Island continues to support a diverse and interesting wild-life resource. The more common species are familiar to us; raccoons, opossum, white-tailed deer, rabbits and gray squirrels. We see them in our yards, crossing our highways and in our remaining open spaces. Occasionally, however, we find unique species that seem to reemerge from some distant past, like the well-preserved coyote carcass found along a beach in Jamesport a couple of winters ago. More recently, evidence of beaver activity has been reported in Scoy Pond in East Hampton, although as far as I know no one has actually seen one.

Other species begin to appear for reasons that are subject to theory and speculation by scientists and laymen alike. A gray fox, the status of which is questionable on Long Island, was caught last year in Manorville. Was it part of a small native population or an escapee from a local game farm? The skunk was once considered a common species here. Its decline has been attributed to everything from skunks being poisoned in the early 20th century by a now-banned pesticide used to control potato beetles, to increased mortality from the numerous roads in our area that are a bane to the nearsighted critter. Today its numbers appear to be on the increase in Suffolk County. Most often, however, the decline in wildlife can be attributed to loss or degradation of habitat.

Despite these challenges for wildlife, every once in a while we are reminded of their resilience and ability to hang on in the face of progress. This phenomenon becomes especially interesting when it involves an animal that is shrouded in mystery by virtue of its elusive behavior and the anticipated excitement of seeing something so rare in the wild. When this occurs it warrants our attention, as it adds a dimension to our outdoor experience - a sense that there is still hope for the existence of wilderness in defiance of our taming of the land and water around us.

The LI River Otter Project

River otters have been infrequently sighted for decades on and around Long Island. The species was reported to have been extirpated from Long Island by the mid-19th century. However, at least four otters were taken by trappers and preserved by local taxidermists between 1875 and 1901. The locally renowned naturalist Roy Latham recorded river otters in the 1920s in places like Oyster Pond, Lake Montauk, and Big Reed Pond in Montauk, on Shelter Island and in the Peconic River. Sightings continued through the 1950s, including the north shore of Nassau County in 1957 and near the Great South Bay. In 1969, one was caught in a fish trap near Montauk Point, in a muskrat trap in Water Mill in the 1990s, and in Greenport in 2001. River otter carcasses also were found along roads in Brookhaven and Cold Spring Harbor in the 1990s.

The status and distribution of the river otter on Long Island today is not well known. However, Mike Bottini, a veteran naturalist from eastern Long Island, is working on a project - funded by the Baker Foundation and Land Marks, and sponsored by the Peconic Baykeeper - that is attempting to find some answers. He is looking for assistance from the public, and is requesting that any sightings be reported to him.

River otters are known to inhabit lakes, ponds, swamps and marshes, including the tidal waters such as those that exist around Long Island. Saltwater reduces the ability of otter fur to insulate the animal, and they need to rinse in freshwater after fishing in the bay. While we think of these animals as aquatic, river otters spend as much as 75% of their time on land. As for their diet, they will eat a variety of animals, but fish make up the bulk of what they eat. They enjoy foraging in shallow water less than 10 feet deep, but can dive to depths of 50 feet. Females seek remote den sites in late winter and spring, and may use old dens of foxes and woodchucks. They are known to care for their young for up to a year and a half, so it is not uncommon to see them in groups of three or more.

A member of the weasel family, river otters are long and sleek, with short legs and webbed feet. They can weigh as much as 20 pounds and be three to four feet long. The fur is short, dense, and dark brown, although lighter brown around the throat. To the inexperienced observer other aquatic mammals, such as the muskrat, are often confused with the otter. Muskrats are much smaller, however, and swim in a relatively straight line while river otter often turns and twists, disappearing frequently underwater. Also, river otters will frequently stop and raise their heads like a periscope.

Signs of river otters can also be reported, but again recognition is key for accurate reporting. Otter scat (droppings) usually consists of an unmistakable pile of fish scales and bones stuck together in a sweet smelling, blackish-green coating. Aged scat will be bleached by the elements, turning the scat into a loose pile of scales and bones. They also secrete a distinctive white, jelly-like substance to communicate with other otters. They leave these signs where they exit the water to traverse around dams, or when going overland to another body of water.

To report river otter sightings and to learn more about the River Otter Project, contact Mike Bottini at 267-5228, or by email at mike@peconic.org. Tax deductible donations made payable to Peconic Baykeeper/River Otter Project can be sent to Peconic Baykeeper, PO Box 893, Quogue, NY 11959.

Otter Joy is wholly owned by L.C. Wright and has no affiliation with any organisaiton or body