River Otter Video

Lontra canadensis

 

 

This juvenile river otter was with two others of the same size. A friend and I were canoeing when we saw the otters ahead. We slowly drifted past them. Then we stopped the canoe and I got out and sunk into the water until only my head was above water. I very slowly approached the otters, attempting to get photos. The two otters who did not have prey hid in the brush just above the water line. This young otter pup stayed where it was and continued to feed on the fish it had caught, a pikeminnow. A pikeminnow is a non-native species of fish that is found in the South Fork Eel River, which also happens to be perfect otter habitat. I got as close as four feet when I was shooting this video clip of the otter.

River otters have very sharp teeth and they use these to tear apart their prey. You can see those teeth in action in this video. Otters also have webbed feet that help them swim. This is visible in the video. Otters are very well adapted to their aquatic environment.

This otter was still young and that may be why it allowed a human to approach so closely. It also may be that the presence of the human scared off its siblings, who had been trying to take away the fish. The little otter enjoyed his meal in peace and I got some good photos and videos of it!

When you are tracking otters, don't forget to look for them along the river banks and in tall grasses and brush just above water line.

 

Find otter posters, greeting cards, t-shirts, hats, and more in my new store.

Now available: "Animals Don't Cover Their Tracks - An Introduction to Animal Tracking" on CD! (Version 3.0) New drawings, more species, more photos, more extensive sections on tracking humans, more detailed directions for plaster casting, mystery tracks section, tracking stories section, and more. The CD features over 100 species, including special bonus sections with the tracks of some African and Australian animals. A large section on tracking lost people for search and rescue is included, with over four pages of photos showing the details of tracks and signs people leave. Easy to use format. This web site is limited by bandwidth, but the CD-ROM is not. The CD is available in my online store at: www.dirt-time.com  Works with Mac or PC. Happy tracking!!

What else can you find in the nature store? Beartracker's animal tracks coloring book, T-shirts, sweatshirts, journals, book bags, toddler and infant apparel, mouse pads, posters, postcards, coffee mugs, travel mugs, clocks, Frisbees, bumper stickers, hats, stickers, and many more items. All with tracks or paw  prints, or nature scenes. Custom products are available. If you don't see the track you want on the product you want, email me and I can probably create it. Proceeds from all sales go to pay the monthly fees for this web site. You can help support this site as well as get great tracking products! Thank you!

 

Find other tracking products: www.zazzle.com/tracker8459*

 

Also visit these fine stores for more products of interest:

NDN Pride shop - For Indian Pride items for all tribes. Custom items available on request.

ASL Signs of Love - For anyone who uses or is learning ASL, American Sign Language. Custom name items and more are available here.

Sales from all stores give commissions to Beartracker's Animal Tracks Den, which helps keep this site online as a free service. We are celebrating ten years online this year!

 

 

Looking for a Gift? This site lets you customize a gift card with your own photo. Commissions earned when you buy from this link help keep Beartracker's Animal Tracks Den online! Thank you!

 Gift Card Lab - Create Photo Gift Cards Online

 

 

 

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Got a river otter story? E-mail me and tell me about it.

tracker777@hotmail.com

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Copyright © 2009. Video clips, text, drawings, and photos by Kim A. Cabrera
Filmed along the South Fork Eel River on August 17, 2009.

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Page updated: Thursday, September 17, 2009.

© Kim A. Cabrera - Desert Moon Design

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