The Breeeze Janruary 2020

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North American River Otter (Lontra canadensis) The river otter is a mammal and a member of the Mustelidea family, the most diverse family of carnivores. Other members include weasels, polecats, wolverines, badgers, ferrets, and mink. River otters have a thick dark brown coat of hair with lighter under parts. Males are about 4 feet long, weighing 25 lbs and the females are slightly smaller. Their thick tail is 1/3 of their body length and their muscular neck is the same width as their head. They have webbed feet and are great divers inhabiting fresh and saltwater water bodies. They nest in Wait…just in case: All mammals 1. Have hair 2. Bear live young (no eggs, one exception- the platypus) 3. Have mammary glands (nurse their young) 4. Are warm-blooded 5. Breathe air (have lungs). *Walruses, polar bears, sea otters, manatees, and dugongs are considered marine mammals along with whales, dolphins, porpoises, seals, and sea lions. dry dens, hollow trees, or manmade structures. Mustelids are reproductively unique. Females carry fertilized eggs in the uterus for about 9 months before they attach to the uterine wall and gestation only lasts about 60 days. In total, two to four kits are born almost a year after conception! Although they are born blind, they progress quickly and are swimming in 8 weeks. Males do not teach the offspring, but the kits will learn from their mother for six months to one year. We’ve got RIVER Otters, not SEA Otters (Enhydra lutris) Sea Otters are the largest member of the Mustelidae family and the only one to be considered a marine mammal, protected by federal law under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Alaska’s coast is home to 90% of the world’s sea otters, although this population has declined over 50% since 1985. Reasons for the decline are oil spills, infectious disease, and illegal take. This Alaskan population segment of sea otters was added to the Endangered Species list in 2005. It is illegal to harvest sea otters except by Alaskan natives for subsistence. Sea otters have bounced back before. They were hunted to near extinction for their fur in the late 1700s and 1800s. For this reason, fur trade is internationally managed by The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) enacted in 1975. “It is the only global treaty to ensure that international trade in plants and animals does not threaten the survival of the species. “It provides a framework for cooperation and collaboration among nations to prevent decline in wild populations of animals and plants. Currently 176 countries (called Parties), including the United States, implement CITES.“ (US Fish and Wildlife) I mean…it could happen If there were a sea otter in the May River, you could identify it by being the “biggest dang river otter you ever seen” and crossing the waterway on its back. Male sea otters may reach 100 lbs! (About four times bigger than the river otter). Their fur has two layers; the undercoat traps air causing them to be more buoyant and allowing their skin to stay dry. They float high in the water and swim belly up on the surface! It’s technical Although nation-wide, river otter populations are of conservation status: Least Concern, they are managed by CITES due to their resemblance to their federally protected cousin, the sea otter (MMPA and ESA protected). The American alligator also benefits from the same CITES protection, and appears on the Endangered Species List as Similar in Appearance/Threatened (SAT) for its resemblance to the American crocodile, a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). 12
River otters have disappeared from 11 states since 1980. Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Pennsylvania are implementing ongoing efforts to reintroduce river otters to help retroact this decrease in range. SC Furbearing Hunting Season There is a hunting season, December – February, for furbearing animals in South Carolina. Furbearing species include: River otter, beaver, bobcat, coyote, gray fox, red fox, mink, muskrat, opossum, raccoon, spotted skunk, striped skunk, and weasel. It costs $25 for a resident to have the license, but there are some exclusive rules regarding bobcats and otters. The CITES treaty requires that these two furbearing species must be individually tagged by licensed harvesters. An application to SCDNR for commercial harvest is required, and only 10 tags, purchased November – April, are sold to any individual at one time. If captured alive, no tag is required. Otter kits are born in March, directly after hunting season. In South Carolina, the average number of otters harvested commercially over the past 20 years was 478. (SCDNR) Otters are considered a keystone species which means that their population reflects the health of the environment. River otters have adapted to our presence by avoiding daytime activity. They are naturally diurnal, active during daylight hours. Many species have adapted their movements, and range due to development and habitat destruction. Adaptation is necessary for survival of the species. Bluffton is the fastest growing municipality in South Carolina. We need to do our best to support the Watershed Action Committee and legislation protecting our wetlands that naturally control balance in our salt water estuary. We should live amongst them... gently, share the night, and preserve our home. 13
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The Breeeze Janruary 2020

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