Lontra canadensis populations have been greatly reduced due to the loss of suitable wetland habitat and hunting pressure. This individual was seen at Santa Rosa’s Lake Ralphine in Howarth Park, catching and eating at least a dozen crayfish in a half-hour. After the big meal it hauled out on a dock and lazed around digesting and warming up in the sun.
For more information on River Otters in the Bay Area, check out the River Otter Ecology Project: https://riverotterecology.org/otter-spotter-community-based-science/
