The river otter, Lutra canadensis, is an elusive aquatic mammal.  It belongs to the mustelid or weasel family and is closely related to the sea otter, mink, badger, wolverine and weasel.  Otters stand out from the other members of the mustelid family due to it's playful temperament.  It's play includes shooting down slick muddy banks into creeks, playing with food, sticks and stones, and wrestling each other.  On snow, they take three or four running steps, launch themselves and slide on their bellies.  While playing, they make a variety of sounds: chirps, chattering noises and low chuckling and rumblings.  A scream is the danger call.  Although Otters are a joy to watch they are mainly nocturnal but occasionally do venture out during the day.  Few outdoor people are lucky enough to see otters in the wild, but those who do rarely forget the experience.

Otter's are fast, graceful swimmers, obtaining most of their food from the water and although they were once thought to compete with local fishermen it has been discovered that up to 90% of their spring diet consists of crayfish.  Other foods are some fish, turtles, frogs, snails, mussels (an otter crunches the shells with its teeth), crayfish, snakes and snake eggs, worms, insects, aquatic plants, roots, and on occasion, muskrats.

The high price of  Otter pelts once provided a great incentive for trappers but due to the otter's declining numbers trapping has been restricted in many states.  In Pennsylvania, the species has been protected since 1952, with no hunting or trapping allowed; however, because otters are secretive and nocturnal, it's hard to estimate the current population.  Many of the state's otters can now be found in our northeastern counties.

 The game commission, Wild Resource Conservation Fund, Pennsylvania State University, and other partners have funded otter restocking efforts in the state since the early 1980's.  Up to 50 Otter's have been released along a 75-mile stretch of the Allegheny River.  In Forest County Otter's were released into Tionesta Creek and have now increased their population to the point that they have also spread out into the Allegheny River.

Previously, renewed efforts towards cleaning up Pennsylvannia's rivers, lakes, and streams has had the effect of allowing a cleaner environment.  This essential ingrediant coupled with the Otter reintroduction programs, has allowed a return of one of our most amusing residents to it's natural habitat.