River Otters

River Otters in the Wilmer Marsh, Columbia Wetlands Wildlife Management Area. Video by Pat Morrow

Like most predators River Otters prey upon the species that are the most readily accessible. Fish are their favoured food and studies have shown that slow swimming fish like the Northern Pikeminnow (Squawfish) in Pat’s video are preyed upon more often than trout when both are equally abundant. Otters also consume frogs, turtles and in the upper reaches of the Columbia River they'll feed on freshwater mollusks. There has also been some documentation of River Otters eating small mammals like muskrats and beavers.

Thanks Pat for sharing your video from your backyard.