North American River Otter
May 29, 2024
North American River otters (Lontra canadensis) are widely distributed, semi-aquatic members of the weasel family. These clever, social animals can be seen in saltwater bays, brackish marine estuaries, urban waterways, and upland ponds and streams. They’re also highly mobile animals, traversing up to 150 miles annually in search of food. Unfortunately, this ranging behavior often leaves them vulnerable to roads, with confirmed and suspected vehicle strikes being the most common reason for admission of fully-grown otters to PAWS Wildlife Rehabilitation Center.
Earlier this spring, a few Pierce County residents encountered this adult river otter hiding under a parked truck. The finders noticed it had a conspicuous head wound and suspected the confused animal had been recently hit by a vehicle. Following guidance from the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife, they carefully lured it into a carrier and transported it to PAWS for care.
A closer exam revealed that the head wound was more superficial than it appeared, and the patient had no severe injuries. The rehabilitators gave the otter a quiet, secure place to rest, groom its thick fur coat, and fill up on fish. One week later, a wildlife biologist from Joint Base Lewis-McChord graciously escorted members of the PAWS team to a suitable release site less than a mile from where the animal was originally found. The healthy otter immediately leaped from the carrier into the water, surfacing a few times to look around before disappearing into the reeds!