Photography by Jouko

As a volunteer for the River Otter Ecology Project I observed SF’s only resident wild #riverotter daily, tracking his behavior.

I watched ‘Sutro Sam’ collect large amounts of vegetation and taking it to his den. As far as we know, this is the only time this kind of behavior has been observed and photographed in North American River Otters. Has anyone seen anything similar?

#otter #wildlife #urbanwildlife #photography #naturalist #wildlifephotography #question #sanfrancisco #lontracanadensis

Jan 29, 2023 at 11:30amWeb
Show threadMal 甄/kalessin/PeriJan 29, 2023
@mokumphoto I didn't photograph it, but I was staying near Clear Lake, CA (16945 Dam Road) for a few days at a friend's cabin on Copsey Creek/Herndon Creek in 2017, where we observed a very serious and on-task "business otter" carrying stuff in its mouth, swimming on the surface, and in one direction only but saw it doing so several times over a few days, usually in early mornings, around 7 am, heading northeast. We didn't interfere with it or try to distract or call to it. Just watched it pass.
Show threadkcǃJan 29, 2023
@mokumphoto brilliant shot! 🦦
Show threadCohoJan 29, 2023
@mokumphoto
Nice photo!
Grass collecting for nests is a well known river otter behavior. There's a few internet photos of this behavior too. photohttps://www.treehugger.com/river-otters-hardest-working-clowns-in-the-water-4869005
Show threadBomengidsNl TreeGuide EuropeJan 29, 2023
@mokumphoto are you sure it's not a cow? 😎
Otters collecting grasses
Show threadJeremy KahnJan 29, 2023
@mokumphoto does Sam identify as a beaver?
Show threadAKBiberschutzSTJan 31, 2023
@mokumphoto ein wunderschönes Foto!!!! 💚
Show threadCynFeb 18, 2023
@mokumphoto this is a great river otter photograph. We have otters on the Rogue river. I’ve seen them play and swim and tease dogs (seriously) but I’ve never been able to catch a good shot. So.. thank you. They are marvelous creatures.
Show threadPhotography by JoukoFeb 18, 2023

@Inthewilderness

Yeah, some people in SF let their dogs in the water to ‘play’ with the otter as well. A bad idea all around of course, as a confrontation is not unlikely and in the water I’d put my money on the otter.

When I (politely) confronted them they told me they did it because the otter looked lonely. People have a troubled relationship with the wild sometimes.

Show threadCynFeb 18, 2023
@mokumphoto in this case the otters actually came to check out the dogs. My concern was that there may have been a nest of otter pups close by because the otters seem to be directing the dogs away from the area they were playing. I do agree with your estimation of troubled relationships and would add that people often underestimate wildlife. And often to their own detriment.
Show threadPhotography by JoukoFeb 18, 2023

@Inthewilderness

Interesting! Did the otters approach the dogs on land or in water? Were they luring the dogs away from a certain area, or chasing them away? Sometimes there are reports of otters that get overly ballsy or aggressive, there was one in the Yellowstone River attacking rafters a while back.

The encounter I mentioned in SF was a man throwing a stick at the otter so his dog would jump in and swim towards him to fetch, definitely a completely different situation.

Show threadCynFeb 18, 2023
@mokumphoto it was really rather hilarious. The otters came towards the dogs, and then they’d dive down and swim away and the dogs would get confused and then otters came back to tease the dogs and then duck under the water and did it over and over again. The dogs finally gave up. I always assume that there’s a reason for a behavior, but they may have just been having some fun. I could see them going back to their dens laughing their little heads off.