A Family Affair

Recently, I visited a location where I’ve had the good fortune to capture images of northern river otters (Lontra canadensis) on numerous occasions. These semiaquatic mammals are highly specialized for life within freshwater ecosystems, encompassing a range of habitats such as rivers, lakes, and marshes. On this particular excursion to a brackish lagoon along the coast, the otters, once again, didn’t disappoint.

Female river otters typically give birth to a litter of 2 to 4 pups in underground dens, and as summer advances, the pups are learning essential survival skills. As soon as I arrived, I was greeted with the heartwarming sight of a mother and her two young pups diligently hunting for fish near the trail. The mother displayed a methodical approach while her playful pups engaged in spirited skirmishes over minnows on the rocky shoreline, only to dart back into the water.

The family exuded an air of tranquility, relishing their aquatic escapade. However, a brief moment of tension ensued when a solitary adult otter rounded the corner. Uncertainty hung in the air—was this newcomer a friend or a potential adversary? The suspense lifted as a large male otter emerged from the water and commenced the task of drying off. The family observed him attentively before reaching the consensus that he was indeed a companion. The pups enthusiastically rushed to greet him, strongly suggesting he was their father. The entire otter family reveled in each other’s company for a while before gracefully departing the scene.

Throughout the encounter, the lighting conditions presented a unique challenge. The harsh, sunlit afternoon and the glistening wet fur of the otters were less than ideal for photography. Nevertheless, I managed to capture a selection of images that I liked, but, more importantly, the experience of observing these otters proved to be a genuinely remarkable and enriching encounter.