For nearly three decades, Cal Poly Humboldt Wildlife Professor Jeff Black and citizen scientists have been quietly documenting the lives of one of the North Coast’s most charismatic residents: river otters.Now, marking the 27th and final year of this long-term research effort, Black is sharing new observations at the Arcata Marsh & Wildlife Sanctuary — a place where wastewater treatment, wildlife habitat, and public access intersect.Based on two years of intensive study, the latest findings, published in the Northwestern Naturalist, reveal just how deeply river otters rely on the marsh. Otters were present nearly every day, using the wetlands not only to hunt, but to raise pups, socialize, rest, and navigate a landscape shared with hundreds of daily visitors.“Watching the daily interactions between these top predators and their prey was a treat,” says Black. “These river otters regularly switched between fishing for fish and hunting for waterbirds — depending on which pond they entered.”The findings challenge common assumptions about river otters. While often thought of as fish specialists, the study shows that waterbirds — ducks, coots, and grebes — make up a significant portion of their diet during much of the year. Otters were also observed using a wide range of hunting strategies, from repeated diving for fish to stealthy ambushes through dense vegetation.Black’s latest publication and companion video (https://youtu.be/mvRQQhlAdrQ) by Deborah Ketelsen, media production specialist for the Center for Teaching & Learning, offer a window into the world of river otters in the Arcata Marsh, inviting the community to see the marsh — and its otters — with a fresh perspective.North Coast river otter spotters are encouraged to continue to submit their river otter observations to the larger, ongoing, community-based project celebrating river otters and clean water habitats, visit riverotterecology.org. Submit your wild river otter observations.Keep Reading
