Liberty Township near Powell in Delaware County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
North American River Otter
Lontra canadensis
💧 Lakes, rivers, streams
🏠 Hollow logs, rocky areas, abandoned beaver dens or dense vegetative areas used for dens
🏞️ Freshwater and coastal marine habitats, including rivers, lakes, marshes, swamps, and estuaries
🍴 Amphibians, fish, turtles, crabs, and crayfish
Otters have been reintroduced into Ohio and their population and range continues to expand.
Otters communicate with whistles, growls, chuckles, and screams.
Otters often exhibit "play" behaviors and activities like mud/snow sliding, burrowing, and water play.
Otters have short legs, webbed feet, a flattened head and a long, narrow, streamlined body - all body adaptations that help them swim efficiently and quickly through the water.
They can stay underwater for as long as 8 minutes and their thick fur helps keep them warm if the water is cold.
Range:
Throughout Canada and the United States, except for areas of southern California, New Mexico, and Texas, and the Mohave Desert of Nevada and Colorado.
Erected by Columbus Zoo and Aquarium.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Animals • Environment • Waterways & Vessels.
Location.
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Canada Lynx (within shouting distance of this marker); Little House on the Prairie (within shouting distance of this marker); Profile of a Prairie Dog (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Dr. Bernard Master (about 300 feet away); Prairie Sampler (about 300 feet away); Federal Conservation History of the Bald Eagle (about 400 feet away); Bald Eagles in Ohio (about 400 feet away); Wetlands Conservation Projects (about 500 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Powell.
Additional commentary.
1. About the marker
This marker display qualifies because it explains how human history has affected the population of the North American River Otter in Ohio, for better and worse.
— Submitted June 28, 2022, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 6, 2023. It was originally submitted on June 28, 2022, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 83 times since then and 27 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on June 28, 2022, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
