River Otters

Photo © 2005 Jim Jung and licensors. All rights reserved.

River Otters are still rarely seen (at any rate in our streams in southern Illinois) but their numbers are on the increase and at this time of the year they're beginning to think about love. These large (four to five feet), aquatic weasels begin mating at this time with the females giving birth to three to five youngsters between late February and April.

Photo © 2005 Jim Jung and licensors. All rights reserved.

Otters were once hunted to extinction in Illinois - partly for their valuable coats of fur, and partly because it was believed that they affected the fish harvest from our rivers. While their coats are still valuable their effect on fish populations has been proven to be benign since they eat (primarily) rough, commercially unattractive species.

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