River Otters

Otters are adorable. At least they otter be.

For a few weeks in February of 2003, a trio of River Otters lived on the island in the small pond in Northstar Park. They returned for at least one visit after that, but I don't believe they have been seen since. The otters were documented in Jean Jackman's Davis Enterprise column, At The Pond.

One otter was spotted in the arboretum near King Hall on January 13, 2010. Perhaps it made its way down from the Vic Fazio Wildlife Area.

River otters can also be seen at the Vic Fazio Yolo Wildlife Area swimming in various canals. They enjoy barking at passerbys and swimming alongside your vehicle. They have also been spotted in Putah Creek near the Putah Creek Boulders.

Between mid-December 2009 and mid-February 2010, a river otter was seen occasionally at West (Area) Pond. The Pond's SW corner is the intake area from the streets and gutters surrounding the Pond. Trash like bottles and food wrappers, as well as water, flow into the Pond from that spot. At dusk on a very cold day in February, we spotted the otter swimming near the trash "collector" and then it swam north. It stopped briefly to handle a styrofoam cup that was floating on the surface before we lost sight of it. I have only minimal "I.D. photos to document it. I hope we all get to see an otter at West Pond again.