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River Otter

Lutra canadensis

Trail Tidbits

River otter are fresh-water otters that live around rivers, lakes, ponds and brackish creeks in marshy areas.

They are excellent swimmers with webbing between the back feet.

They easily catch fish with their sharp teeth and take them on land to eat. They like to start at the tail and work their way to the head- crunching all of the bones, fins and everything! On land, they catch and eat mice.

River otters are agile acrobats in the water and love to play. They enjoy sliding down snow-covered banks into streams. Their fur is thick and keeps them warm to swim in the winter.

They live in dens dug out in river banks or in old beaver lodges.