Scientists discovered that river otter droppings contain large numbers of parasites that infect the animals’ prey, indicating that otters may play a significant role in shaping local food webs.

North American river otters have lived for a long time in Chesapeake Bay, yet relatively little is known about how their surroundings impact them. So what does daily life for river otters on the ...

Biologists and ecologists have long wished to gather high-quality data on exactly what the animals they study are eating, but how can such observations be made without disturbing the natural patterns ...

While sea otters spend the majority of their time in the water, river otters will often run and play on land. This leads to some interesting behavior that reminds us of fun childhood games: the “run ...

North American river otters eat, play and defecate in the same place. And their unhealthy habits make them ideal for detecting future health threats in the environment. Kristen Goodhue A North ...

North American river otters, known as cute and playful swimmers, once lived in every major river system in Pennsylvania. But because of development, agriculture and industrialization, otters had ...

Three North American river otters play in the snow on the docks of the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center. Detected with SERC’s night-vision wildlife cameras. North American river otters have ...