North American river otter
(Lontra canadensis)
Conservation • Description • Habitat • Biology • Distribution • Taxonomy
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Description |
The pelage (fur) is dark brown above, a little lighter below, with a white a grayish or silvery throat. |
Size |
Total length: 35″ to 48″ Head and body: 26″ to 30″ Tail: 12″ to 17″ |
Sign |
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Similar Species |
American mink (Neovison vison) is much smaller, no more than 27½″ in length including the tail. |
Habitat |
Mostly lakes, streams, and ponds, but also swamps and marshes. |
Biology |
Behavior |
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Lifespan |
8 to 9 years |
Life Cycle |
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Food |
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Distribution |
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Sources |
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| 5/24/2025 | ||
Occurrence |
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Common |
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Taxonomy |
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Class |
Mammalia (mammals) |
Subclass |
Theria |
Infraclass |
Eutheria (placental mammals) |
Magnorder |
Boreoeutheria |
Superorder |
Laurasiatheria (ungulates, carnivorans, and allies) |
Order |
Carnivora (carnivorans) |
Suborder |
Caniformia (dog-like carnivores) |
Family |
Mustelidae (weasel, mink, badger, martens and others) |
Subfamily |
Lutrinae (otters) |
Genus |
Lontra (New World river otters) |
This species was originally named Lutra canadensis. In 1972, New World otters were separated into the genus Lontra. |
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Subordinate Taxa |
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Haida Gwaii river otter (Lontra canadensis periclyzomae) Kodiak Island river otter (Lontra canadensis kodiacensis) northeastern river otter (Lontra canadensis canadensis) Prince of Wales river otter (Lontra canadensis mira) southeastern river otter (Lontra canadensis lataxina) southwestern river otter (Lontra canadensis sonora) Vancouver river otter (Lontra canadensis vancouverensis) western river otter (Lontra canadensis pacifica) |
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Synonyms |
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Lutra canadensis |
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Common Names |
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Canadian otter North American river otter northern river otter river otter |
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Glossary
Pelage
The coat of a mammal, consisting of fur, wool, or hair, and including a soft undercoat and stiff guard hairs.
Visitor Photos |
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Craig Palmer |
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Christa Rittberg |
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Observed at Fort Snelling State Park. |
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos |
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Slideshows |
Otter |
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About
Lutra canadensis |
Visitor Videos |
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Other Videos |
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River Otters on the Run | Wild Yellowstone |
About
Published on Nov 30, 2015 River otters are in their element in Yellowstone’s early winter. They avoid a hungry coyote with their excellent swimming skills, but soon the river will freeze. About Nat Geo Wild: Get More Nat Geo Wild: River Otters on the Run | Wild Yellowstone Nat Geo Wild |
Northern River Otter |
About
Published on May 14, 2013 Northern River Otter (Lontra canadensis) - a trio of otters seen in Victoria, BC, Canada |
River Otters - Minnesota |
About
Published on Nov 30, 2015 Otters outside Kettle River, MN. |
Otter Ice Fishing in Minnesota |
About
Uploaded on Mar 14, 2010 This is a North American River Otter on the ice on Superior Bay which is at the end of the St. Louis River and along Park Point which is the world's largest fresh water sand bar - located at the western most end of Lake Superior - the world's largest freshwater lake. You can tell that this otter fishes for a living. The surprise in the video is seeing him come up with two fish on his second dive through the ice. |
Visitor Sightings |
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Karen |
Location: Brooklyn Center, MN He walked right through my front yard, into the backyard. Was very surprised to see a River Otter, 10 miles outside of downtown Minneapolis. |
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| Erika Elfstrand October 2023 |
Location: Wright County Had heard from neighbors there were otters in this lake system. Finally saw them in October 2023. The video is too large to send and we didn’t get photos. Thanks! |
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| Anthony 4/7/2023 |
Location: Plymouth MN I saw the otter near a pond behind my house. |
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| Pat G. 10/9/2022 |
Location: the pond behind my home in Shoreview one was sighted, swimming in the pond |
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| Linda 9/25/2022 |
Location: Ottertail, MN Three river otters swimming together in a small lake near the town of Ottertail. They were doing a lot of diving but never saw them with a fish, so not sure if they were playing or hunting for fish. I believe they left the lake, ran across the road to another small lake and lost track of them. We have lived here for over 20 years and have only seen an otter two other times over the years. Was fun to watch them. |
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| Kay 5/22/2022 |
Location: Minnetonka An otter lives in the creek behind our house. We see him/her swim quickly toward the den in the evening. |
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| Terry Sinner 4/5/2022 |
Location: Stearns County I was driving with two friends to a knitting gathering near Luxembourg, MN, when we all saw what looked like 4 otters or fishers standing beside the road having a conference about topics unknown. They quickly ran into the south ditch as we approached. There was a \swampy area on the north side of the road. County 137 between County 6 and 47, south of Hwy. 94. Are either of these animals in this area? We did not get any pictures. |
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| John Valo 4/7/2022 |
Fishers prefer dense, continuous forests with large trees. They have not been recorded in Stearns County, but they have been seen in neighboring Benton County. Though the animals you saw could be either, it is more likely that they were northern river otters. |
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Lil Heiland |
Location: Golden Valley by Theodore Worth Park |
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| James 11/13/2021 |
Location: 3rd Ave N & Ranchview Ln. N, Plymouth, MN one came running throw back yard toward a small pond, was nice to see. |
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| Craig Palmer 10/13/2021 |
Location: Moorhead, MN rendition pond |
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| Dano 9/24/2019 |
Location: Crane Park refuge (Crane Meadows National Wildlife Refuge) by Little Falls MN. there was a pair of them |
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| Susan 5/31/2019 |
Location: Edina The otter ran across 70th St heading south. This was East of 100 and West of France. |
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| Kirk Nelson 5/12/2019 |
Location: Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge - Long Meadow Lake Unit About 5 or 6 were sitting on a log about 15 yards into the flooded area at the beginning of the Long Meadow Lake Trail, just below the Visitors’ Center. I barely had time to notice them before they slid into the water and swam away, so I couldn’t get a photo |
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| Eric Hills 6/12/2018 |
Location: Big Lake Township I was out walking the dog and saw it run thru the yard. The dog took after it and chased it into the tall grass around the swamp in our backyard. We live a couple of hundred yards off the Mississippi River. I couldn’t believe my eyes, Pretty awesome! |
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| Marvin Schifsky 4/14/2018 |
Location: Washington County, MN (55082). Just south of co. Road 12, on Jamaca Avenue. It was Huge! Nice to see. Did not think there were any in our area. |
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| Dlg3 8/15/2017 |
Location: Plymouth/Minnetonka crossing Hopkins crossroads during afternoon rush hour |
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| Christa Rittberg 6/17/2017 |
Location: Observed at Fort Snelling State Park. |
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings |
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Created: 6/19/2017 Last Updated: © MinnesotaSeasons.com. All rights reserved. |