Otters are a common and widespread sight throughout Florida’s waterways. These playful, semi-aquatic mammals are frequently spotted swimming, sliding, and hunting in the state’s rivers, lakes, and marshes. The North American River Otter is a familiar animal for those who spend time near Florida’s aquatic ecosystems.
Florida’s Resident Otter Species
The only species of otter native to Florida is the North American River Otter, scientifically known as Lontra canadensis. This species is distributed across North America, and in Florida, it can be found statewide, with the exception of the Florida Keys. The river otter is an obligate carnivore, meaning it is tied to aquatic environments for survival, but it spends a significant amount of time on land.
The North American River Otter is recognizable by its streamlined body, short legs, and a thick, tapered tail that makes up about a third of its total length. Males are generally larger than females, with adults weighing between 11 and 30 pounds and measuring up to five feet long.
Where Otters Live in Florida
Florida’s diverse landscape offers an ideal and widespread habitat for the North American River Otter, which is highly adaptable to various aquatic environments. These mammals do not restrict themselves to a single type of water body but inhabit freshwater rivers, creeks, lakes, and cypress swamps across the state. Their presence is considered an indicator of a healthy ecosystem, as they are sensitive to water quality.
The otters also show a tolerance for brackish and even saltwater habitats, frequently utilizing coastal marshes and estuaries. They thrive in areas ranging from the remote wilderness of the Everglades to lakes and ponds found within suburban areas. They establish their homes, called holts, in burrows dug into riverbanks, often utilizing existing hollows under tree roots or abandoned beaver lodges.
Life of the River Otter
Lontra canadensis exhibits mastery of the water and highly social behavior. Their physical makeup allows them to be powerful swimmers, possessing webbed feet and a muscular tail that acts as a rudder and a propeller. They can remain submerged for up to eight minutes, helped by the ability to close their nostrils and ears underwater.
These otters are primarily crepuscular or nocturnal, meaning they are most active during the twilight hours of dawn and dusk, though they can be seen during the day. They are carnivorous hunters with a diet consisting mainly of aquatic prey, such as fish, crayfish, crabs, and frogs. Their long, sensitive whiskers, or vibrissae, help them detect the movement of prey even in dark or murky water.
Their behavior is playful, with activities like sliding down mud banks or wrestling used to strengthen social bonds and practice hunting skills. They often live in small groups, usually a female and her young, and communicate using a variety of whistles, growls, and screams. The North American River Otter is distinctly different from the Sea Otter, a species confined to the Pacific Ocean and not found in Florida.