River otters rebounding with hospitable habitat
The most happy-go-lucky denizen of Bay Area creeks is back, after a hiatus of at least three decades: the river otter. “They look like they’re having a wonderful time out there. It’s really exciting to see,” said Steve Bobzien, a wildlife ecologist for the East Bay Regional Park District. “Plus, it’s a really good biological indicator of the health of the ecosystem.”
“The more we look for otters, the more we find. It seems like they’re everywhere,” said Megan Isadore, a naturalist from Forest Knoll who started the River Otter Ecology Project and Otter Spotter website. “It’s wonderful – everyone loves otters.”
This lovely article by our old friend Carolyn Jones appeared in the SF Chronicle this weekend. We’ve been having a lot of contact with new the River Otter Ecology folks and are excited about their upcoming visit to the Martinez Beavers and display at the beaver festival this summer. They have accomplished so much in such a small amount of time I’m thrilled to see what they will do next!
Otters were once found in almost every creek and lake in Northern California, but their numbers seriously dwindled until the 1970s because of hunting, habitat loss and pollution. Particularly harmful was mercury, which seeped into the crayfish, clams, mussels and other shellfish that otters dine on.
One place where otters still get killed is in conibear traps that are planted in the water and set for beavers. Accidental otter deaths reported by APHIS were very high in 2009, which everyone agree is horrible. Of course, since they were killed by ‘accident’ I couldn’t possibly overlook the ‘killed on purpose’ beaver deaths of the same origin, but saving otters seems as good a reason as any not to use traps.
You may have noticed that Otters are the fun, graceful, popular step child of the watershed family. They make friends easily and don’t do anything that destructive or upsetting. Although they don’t keep a regular address, they’re easier to see in the daytime and very exciting to watch. Even if you worry about them eating up your fish, they tend not to stay in one place long enough for it to be a problem. I can’t help but think that otters have it easy.
Beavers, on the other hand, pretty much sleep in the cupboard under the stairs.
Marin seems to have the biggest concentration of otters, and the population there appears to have skirted the worst of the hunting and pollution impacts. Otters are in virtually every creek and reservoir but especially seem to favor water treatment plants and anyplace with lots of salmon, Herlocker said. They’re so plentiful a few have even been hit by cars, prompting at least one “Otter Crossing” sign – on Lucky Drive in Larkspur.
Marin has the most otters? Really? Just curious, but how many beavers does Marin have?
Scientists don’t know much about otters’ population figures in the Bay Area – no official counts are available – but Isadore hopes to change that. With her Otter Spotter program, she’s encouraging members of the public to help document otters’ behavior and whereabouts so scientists can identify their corridors and ranges, eating and breeding habits and general population trends. That kind of information will help show a more complete picture of otters’ health as a species, as well as a hint of the general state of Bay Area watersheds.
Otter Spotter Program! I love that! Every beaver watcher should be an otter spotter too of course! Our own Cheryl Reynolds just visited the beavers in Lake Herman and found that the beaver in question was none to pleased about the otter he spotted! (Since it’s April and their are likely young kits about, otters aren’t going to be welcomed in beaver ponds at the moment.)
Well it’s a watershed moment for our creeks and streams and otters can be its darlings while beavers work quietly in the background! We’re as happy as can be that you’re involved in keeping an eye on our waterways, and welcome to the family!
