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North American river otter

Lontra canadensis · Furbearers

North American river otter (Lontra canadensis): Thickset, 102–152 cm long, 6.8–15 kg, with short legs and a neck as thick as the head. Inconspicuous ears; thick, tapered tail about a third of body length. This profile does not establish whether taking it is legal anywhere.

Check rules for a place and dateOpen the north american river otter map

Certified rules currently represented in Hunt: coverage in development. This is coverage, not a legal answer.

North American river otters on a grassy riverbank
Adobe Stock · Standard License (asset 2154559171)
Scientific name
Lontra canadensis
Family
Mustelidae
Range
Throughout most of North America north of Mexico except the extreme southwestern U.S.; extirpated from large areas of the interior U.S. and reintroduced in some states.
Biology

How to identify it

Thickset, 102–152 cm long, 6.8–15 kg, with short legs and a neck as thick as the head. [1][2]

Inconspicuous ears; thick, tapered tail about a third of body length. [1][2]

Only the hind feet are webbed. [1][2]

Prime fur black-brown with a slightly paler belly and grayish chin and throat. [1][2]

Species it is confused with

Check these before deciding what you are looking at. If you are not certain what it is, do not shoot.

Field notes

  • Identification Do not identify North American river otter from colour alone. Compare structure, size, range and the listed similar species before making a field decision.[1][2]
Field knowledge

Where it lives

Streams, lakes, ponds, swamps, marshes, beaver flowages, estuaries and exposed Pacific coastline; dens in abandoned beaver lodges, burrows, log jams and thickets near water. [1][2]

Field knowledge

How it behaves

Signs are seen more often than the animal: well-used overland trails between waters, rolling areas, twisted grass tufts and scent-post scats [1][2]

Runs and slides on snow and ice, and slides on mud [1][2]

Eats fish, mollusks, crabs, frogs and other aquatic prey; small items eaten at the surface, larger ones ashore [1][2]

Travels in family groups or bachelor-male groups over large, overlapping, usually linear home ranges [1][2]

Regulatory handoff

Where it is listed for legal take

These authorities list this species for legal take in their own regulations.

Where legal take is listed

Being listed is not an open season. Seasons, zones, licences, methods and limits decide whether this animal may be taken on a given day and place — check Hunt or the authority before you go. Listings read 2026-09-30.

Geospatial intelligence

Where it is found

Throughout most of North America north of Mexico except the extreme southwestern U.S.; extirpated from large areas of the interior U.S. and reintroduced in some states.

Biology

Sources

Every claim above is attributed to one of these published sources.

  1. Alaska Department of Fish and Game · reviewed 2026-09-30

    Alaska Department of Fish and Game

  2. NatureServe · reviewed 2026-09-30

    NatureServe