It finally happened. New Holland's Chuck Engle took photos proving that river otters, at least one, reside at Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area, near Kleinfeltersville.
"I've been looking for it for a year," Engle said.
Apparently there has been at least one otter on the Pennsylvania Game Commission's wonderful property for at least a year, off-and-on. An otter has been seen in several areas at Middle Creek by visitors, but a good photo has not shown up until now. The otter(s) disappeared for a time, but was on-site quite recently.
North America has just two otter species, and neither is seen a great deal. The rarer sea otter lives off the coasts of Alaska and California.
I once watched from the deck of a Holland-America cruise ship, about 11 stories above the water, as two sea otters swam playfully around an Alaskan dock. One otter caught a smallish fish and ate it while floating lazily on its back.
River otters are large, strong aquatic-oriented mammals that eat mainly fish, up to 70 percent of their diet, according to one study. Contrary to what some anglers think, otters primarily eat rough-fish (carp, catfish, chubs, white fish, etc.), and very few game fish. They also eat crayfish, frogs, tadpoles, salamanders, turtles, voles and more. They catch and kill most of their food, but occasionally suffer carrion if necessary.
River otters are members of the weasel family, and are related to sea otters, badgers and wolverines. They obviously come from the fun side of the family. It is well documented that otters enjoy play, including sliding down mud or snow banks to splash into the water.
Breeding occurs in March and April, and baby river otters are born from February to April of the following year. Weighing just 4 or 5 ounces at birth, pups by autumn nearly reach their adult size of 12-to-20 pounds, with males being larger than females. Two or three young are average, and are born fully furred, but with ears and eyes closed for about five weeks. Weaned at 10-to-11 weeks, pups begin accompanying their mother foraging for food. Adult river otters, including their 12-to-20-inch tail, range from 35-to-50 inches long.
Males are polygamous and mate both on land and in the water. The female bears the responsibility of feeding her young, teaching them to swim and capturing their food.
Thin but muscular, otters swim fast and can dive to 60 feet. When diving, the otter's nose and ears are automatically blocked and its metabolism slows down, enabling it to remain submerged for up to four minutes. It is reported that otters can run up to 18 mph, which is interesting since they live and hunt mainly in water. All four of their short, powerful legs have webbing between their five toes for swimming, and their long tail serves as an excellent rudder.
River otters were never densely populated, and require a fairly large territory to feed, breed and raise their young. Young otters of both genders have moved as far as 125 miles to find a new territory. Adult males might travel regularly over 15 miles of streams or rivers.
River otters have few natural enemies, and pup survival is good, so reintroduced populations have done well when offered protection by man.
The necessary protection, though, is from man, the otter's primary predator.
Through the 19th century, otters were hunted and trapped extensively, their thick, protective coat providing excellent protection for humans when made into outer garments.
Additionally, water pollution and loss of habitat hurt otter populations badly.
Since the 1980s, Pennsylvania has reintroduced river otters in numerous river-systems, including Loyalsock Creek, Pine Creek, Kettle Creek, Tionesta River, Allegheny River and Youghiogheny River. Otters have moved south into the Susquehanna River system from Kettle Creek, and north into the lower Susquehanna from Maryland. By 2000, more than 500 otters occupied the state, with every sign of expanding.
Dr. Thomas Serfass, of Frostburg State University in Maryland, gave generously of his time and expertise helping Pennsylvania to reintroduce otters.
"Otters are notoriously difficult to census," Matt Lovallo, PGC furbearer specialist, said. "We're stepping up our efforts to improve that, including working on our otter management plan."
"We're experiencing a dramatic otter expansion from the Chesapeake Bay up into the Susquehanna River drainage," Lovallo said. Even though this story is about river otters, Lovallo said, "Otters aren't restricted to fresh water. They do well in brackish water, and heavily populate the tidal marshes of Maryland's Eastern Shore."
Lovallo explained that even during dramatic drop-off in Pennsylvania's otter populations, the Pocono region maintained a decent otter population.
"Otters are doing well in surrounding states," Lovallo said. "They're entering our northwest region via New York and Ohio. They will come into the state if there are no obstacles."
Otter trapping is not allowed in Pennsylvania, but it is legal in New York, Ohio and Maryland.
"Maybe we will allow trapping here in the future," Lovallo said.
"We have about 50 incidental otter kills annually, mainly from beaver traps," he said. "Beaver trappers try to avoid catching otters by using specific techniques that catch beavers yet avoid otters."
He said beaver trappers observing otter signs generally trap elsewhere.
"Generally it is difficult to spot otters," Lovallo said. "They are big travelers, and with linear travel via rivers, they can really cover ground. They might only stop at a given location once every two weeks."
That is why I do not want readers to get their hopes too high about seeing Middle Creek's otter(s), though I will be trying to find one.
After leaning heavily on Lovallo — he did not really want to provide a statewide otter estimate — he said, "There are probably 1,000 to 2,000 otters in Pennsylvania, roughly."
Chuck Engle, who took the pictures of the Middle Creek otter, said, "I started taking nature photos in the '80s. I started going to Middle Creek more often after I retired three years ago.
"I started out using film but switched to digital. I do mostly nature photography, and going digital saves a lot of money."
Engle had searched for Middle Creek's otter for over a year.
"I knew it was around, and even saw it, but I couldn't get a good photo of it," he said.
Otters depend a great deal on scenting to guard them against danger.
"I was downwind from it and he couldn't find me," Engle said. "He was only about 25 feet away. He knew I was there, but wasn't sure where I was."
Good luck searching for the otter. Do not get too close and do not disturb otters or other wildlife at Middle Creek, or anywhere you are observing nature.
John McGonigle is outdoors editor of the Sunday News. E-mail him at jmcgonigle@lnpnews.com.
