Biologists and ecologists have long wished to gather high-quality data on exactly what the animals they study are eating, but how can such observations be made without disturbing the natural patterns ...

Scientists discovered that river otter droppings contain large numbers of parasites that infect the animals’ prey, indicating that otters may play a significant role in shaping local food webs.

Ecologists have long observed that when food becomes scarce, animal populations exploit a wider range of food sources. So scientists studying southern sea otters at different sites in California’s ...

North American river otters have lived for a long time in Chesapeake Bay, yet relatively little is known about how their surroundings impact them. So what does daily life for river otters on the ...

North American river otters eat, play and defecate in the same place. And their unhealthy habits make them ideal for detecting future health threats in the environment. Kristen Goodhue A North ...

1. Otter ecology and its background -- 2. Pen pictures. Thirteen otters of the world : some natural history -- Europe -- Common or Eurasian otter, Lutra lutra -- North America -- River otter, or North ...

The sea otter’s grooming regimen will be familiar to anyone with a cat. Like cats, sea otters spend considerable time licking and biting their fur to keep it clean and conditioned. Also like cats, ...

Three North American river otters play in the snow on the docks of the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center. Detected with SERC’s night-vision wildlife cameras. North American river otters have ...

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) – One could argue some of the silliest animals at Fort Wayne Zoo are the North American River Otters. Not only are they cute, they have a lot of tricks and that comes from a ...