With the snow I am a little short on new finds but I just got these great pictures from my friend Dr. Joe Dorzab in Arkansas. Since they aren't our Missouri otters, I probably "otter" not use them in our Missouri MN blog, but I am willing to cross the line just once.
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| How to handle a whopper |
Joe is a dedicated amateur wildlife photographer and he has followed this family living in a slough in the Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma. He usually finds them active around 8AM and they aren't shy, almost performing for the camera. The size of fish they tackle is amazing.
Otters were once plentiful in Missouri. Drainage of wetlands for agriculture led to loss of habitat while hunting and trapping for their furs led almost to near extirpation of otters in Missouri.
Otter reintroduction began in 1982 with 2,000 specimens from Louisiana released in Missouri and neighboring states. With 15,000 miles of waterways in our state, they were able to spread rapidly. They prefer waters with trees along the banks and will move to find adequate food and habitat. With most land in private hands, they invariably found stocked ponds and landowner conflicts. This led to the development of hunting and trapping regulations in 1996.
Wildlife damage biologists report 90% of their calls are because of otter poop on the dock at a lake. They can eat a lot of fish but aren't likely to decimate a pond population as they will have to move on to find food before that point.
The friction between we bipedal mammals and restored native animal populations is not new. Migratory "Canada" geese now reside year round in our parks and have the lost directions to the north. Monitoring our expanding bear populations has led to a limited hunting season with annual adjustments in the future.
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| Bringing home curbside carry-in dinner during Covid |
For those of us whose only otter exposure is at Wonders of Wildlife, MDC Discover Nature has a lot of information including the description below.
"River otters are well suited to life in the water. They have streamlined bodies, fully webbed feet, and long, tapered tails that are thick at the base and flat on the bottom. Their ears and nose close when they go underwater. Dense, oily fur and heavy layers of body fat insulate them in the water. They have a keen sense of smell and prominent facial whiskers that are extremely sensitive to touch.
Otters are dark brown with pale brown or gray bellies. The muzzle and throat are silvery. Males and females look alike, although males are larger. They are graceful, powerful swimmers and can remain submerged 3–4 minutes. On land, they travel with a loping gait. On snow or ice, they alternate loping with sliding."
Living with wildlife is a challenge in our society. We love the creatures as long as they know their place. MDC is critical in helping maintain that balance, whether its is otters in a pond or squirrels in the attic. Sometimes we just need to relax a little.