The nonprofit group that monitors the health of the Rivanna River is asking the public for assistance spotting otters in the tributary of the James River.
Because where there are otters, there are healthy waters, according to the Rivanna Conservation Alliance.
“Otters are indicator species,” Claire Sanderson, the alliance’s director of water quality monitoring, told The Daily Progress. “They really rely on healthy waterways for survival.”
The Rivanna flows southeast through Albemarle County, skirting the eastern edge of the city of Charlottesville, breaching the Southwest Mountains near Monticello and passing through Palmyra before entering the James at the town of Columbia.
If there are otters in the river, that is a good sign that the water is clean and full of food — at least otter food, which includes fish, amphibians, worms and crustaceans. In turn, the presence of both signals there are healthy riparian buffers, the land and vegetation alongside bodies of water that filter debris.
The alliance launched the Rivanna River Otter Monitoring Project in February to collect data about otters in the area. People who spot an otter are encouraged to fill out an online report, which asks for the time, date and location of the sighting.
Sanderson said that since the project was launched, fewer than 15 sightings had been reported, but the alliance is promoting the program and hoping for more responses, especially now more people are likely to be out on the water during the summer season.
Leah Card, the furbearer biologist for Virginia’s Department of Wildlife Resources, told The Daily Progress she highly values this sort of localized data collection. As a furbearer biologist, she specializes in the study and conservation of animals prized for their coats.
River otters were hunted for their water-repellent fur in the 19th and 20th centuries to the point that, by 1978, they were considered an endangered species in Virginia.
Although measures taken in the 1980s helped restore Virginia’s otter population back to a stable point, Card said it can be difficult to collect data on the true otter population because of their elusive natures, which makes the Rivanna River Otter Monitoring Project all the more valuable.
River otter factsTheir scientific name is Lontra canadensis.They can swim up to 7 mph and dive down 60 feet.Their homes are called holts or couches.Male otters are called dogs or boars.Female otters are called sows.Their young are called pups, cubs or kits.Their diet primarily consists of fish, but can include crustaceans, amphibians, reptiles, birds, insects and even other small mammals.
North American river otters, as their name suggests, can most often be found swimming in rivers. They are not to be confused with their sea otter counterparts, who dwell in saltwater environments.
Sanderson said most of the sighting reports she has received so far have been on the Rivanna itself, but there have been some in small ponds, including the one near Holymead Town Center in Albemarle County.
River otters are nocturnal, so dusk and dawn are typically the best times to spot one, but Sanderson said, surprisingly, there have been reports from times throughout the day.
“Just because you didn’t see an otter in an area doesn’t mean they’re not there,” Sanderson said. “They might be traveling elsewhere and come back, or it just might not be the right timing.”
Card said otters can travel 20 miles from their holts while looking for food. She said the trick to seeing one is patience and silence.
For those who do get the chance to spot an otter, she recommends keeping about 100 feet away and turning the flash off of their camera, so as not to disturb the wildlife.
Pictures and videos of Rivanna otters can be submitted via the alliance’s online form or emailed to Sanderson directly at clairesanderson@rivannariver.org.
Card said taking a video can be better for data collection, especially if the person recording is unsure if what they are seeing is an otter.
The form has a scale asking how confident the otter spotter is they saw an otter, since otters can easily be mistaken for other animals, particularly minks, beavers and muskrats.
One of the easiest ways to differentiate these creatures is to look at their tails. Beavers have wide, flat, hairless tails; muskrats have skinny, hairless tails; and minks have shorter, bushier tails. Otter tails are long, thick at the base and tapered to a point.
Other distinguishing characteristics of otters are their playful personalities, since they can sometimes be seen sliding on their stomachs down hills.
Those who want to submit an otter sighting report or who want to learn more about the Rivanna River Otter Monitoring Project can visit rivannariver.org/rromp.
But, Sanderson said, as helpful as the data is, the program also is about engagement with local residents.
“I think that’s one of the most important things: getting outside, getting out on the river, enjoying nature, learning about what’s happening within our watershed and how we’re hoping to encourage stewardship among community members,” she said.
Source: www.dailyprogress.com
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