General Information

North American River Otters live throughout the United States and Canada and make their homes in dens constructed out of burrows of other animals or hollow logs. These dens are usually in secluded areas adjacent to a waterway. River Otters are native to Ohio but in the early 1900s they were extirpated from the state due to poor water quality. Throughout the twentieth century, Ohio waterways started to bounce back and in 1986 the Division of Wildlife decided to reintroduce otters to the state. They released 123 otters from Louisiana and Arkansas (where populations are abundant) into 4 waterways in Ohio. This reintroduction project has gone very well and otter populations in the state continue to increase. In 2012 there were approximately 8,000 otters in Ohio.

Meet Our River Otters

Three North American River Otters, Calvin, Atticus, and Emmett, reside in the Ralph Perkins II Wildlife Center & Woods Garden (presented by KeyBank) at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.

Average Lifespan

Wild: 8-9 years
Captivity: 15-20 years

Fun Facts

• North American River Otters are built for swimming. They have an excellent cardiovascular and respiratory system that allows them to stay under water for up to 4 minutes at a time. They have a thick, waterproof layer of skin under two layers of fur to help keep them warm in all seasons. In addition, they can close their ears and nostrils to keep water out and have a clear third eyelid called a nictitating membrane that protects their eyes while under water.
• Their whiskers are used to detect vibrations and movement in the environment. This helps river otters detect and hunt prey under water.
• Although North American River Otters are very adapted to life in water, they actually spend two-thirds of their time on land.
• A North American River Otter's diet consists of mainly fish, but they will also eat various reptile and amphibian species as well as small mammals and birds.