River Otter - Sierra Club BC
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River Otter

CAN BE FOUND IN:

River Otter

Lontra canadensis 

Appearance

River otters can grow to 1.4 metres long and weigh about 13.5 kilograms. They have the longest lasting fur of the entire otter/weasel family, and have been hunted for fur in many areas across North America. They have strong webbed feet for swimming, a long strong tail and thick claws. They usually have dark fur with a lighter belly. 

range & habitat

These otters live in every ecoprovince in B.C. River otters are unique from sea otters because they are found in rivers, ponds, lakes and other stream habitats. River otters can make their dens with underwater entrances to warmer, drier, nesting sites. Here they give birth to two or three “kits” or baby otters! 

reciprocal relationships

River otters have a unique gift for communication! They communicate via speech, smell, touch and body language. These otters have 12 distinct calls, which let them express various emotions and deter predators. They have whiskers that pick up on messages, and senses that would typically be suppressed underwater. Lastly, like dogs, river otters mark their territory with pee! They are playful and curious beings that we are lucky to have in our community. 

River otters also help maintain balance in our ecosystem. They are carnivores, and some of their favorite foods are fish and crawfish. Since they also spend time on land, river otters can also eat birds, reptiles, insects and even an occasional rabbit. River otters are eaten by eagles, bears, and wolves thus playing an important part in the food chain.  

Additionally, river otters are an indicator that a body of water is healthy and not polluted. Thankfully, river otters are not currently considered an at-risk species. However, one of the most pressing risks for this species is human-induced pollution, which can get worse if more pipeline projects are approved for their home in the Georgia Straight. 

kū’cta-qa or Kushtaka is a land-otter man depicted in stories from the Tlingit people. In some stories, Kushtaka provides aid and guidance to struggling fishermen, and in some stories, they trick people into drowning.  

status

COSEWIC: Not Reported 
CDC: Yellow 

more information

If you belong to a First Nation with a story or piece of information not represented here and you would like to share more about this species, please email us at education@sierraclub.bc.ca

photo credit

Mya Van Woudenberg

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