Where does the river otter live?
River otters can be found along the borders of lakes, streams and marshes throughout the Bay watershed. • They den in stream banks, making an underwater entrance to the den. • While river otters are an aquatic species, they are equally comfortable on land and may travel several miles over land to another stream or lake. What does the river otter eat? River otters feed on fish, frogs, crabs, crayfish and small mammals, such as young muskrats and beavers. When does the river otter breed? River otters mate in the spring, shortly after the female has given birth to a litter of two to four young. • The newly fertilized eggs do not begin to develop until the fall. • During the time between fertilization in the spring and development in the fall, the eggs receive just enough nutrients from the female to stay alive. • The total gestation period is about eight to nine months. • Young river otters are born blind and fully furred. They leave the den in less than a year. Other facts about the rive
