LIVE WEBCAM - NORTH AMERICAN RIVER OTTERS

More info: The North American river otter is also known as the northern river otter or common otter. It is a semiaquatic mammal found throughout most of the United States and Canada, wherever there is a food supply and easy access to water. The North American river otter inhabits marshes, lakes, ponds, streams and estuaries with ranges of up to 40 miles, depending on food availability and quality of habitat.

North American river otters feed on fish, mollusks, frogs, crayfish, turtles, insects and sometimes birds or small mammals. They are constantly on the move, feeding throughout the day to get enough energy to support their high metabolism. The otters sensitive whiskers help them detect prey underwater and their eyesight is acute. Their average dive lasts from 1-2 minutes, but during extreme dives they can stay underwater for 4-6 minutes.

North American river otters often take over former dens of beavers or muskrats, with one entrance below the waterline and one above the water for air exchange. Often when undisturbed, otters will be active during the day. In more populated areas their activity shifts more to dawn and dusk, or even just at night.

Breeding takes place once a year around late winter and spring, and females will then give birth the following year usually to 2 or 3 pups. The otter pups generally stay with their mother for 10 months or more. Swimming does not come naturally to river otters — pups must be taught to swim by their mothers.