WCAX.COM Local Vermont News, Weather and Sports-Otter antics

There is still some ice on our area lakes and ponds, but it won't be there much longer. That doesn't matter to some critters in the area, Naturalist Charlie Browne from the Fairbanks Museum tells us, otters seem to have a blast, no matter what the weather.

"There are chances of seeing otters anywhere where there's shoreline, flowing water, even ice covered ponds. Otters are active all year round, they go through the ice to fish and capture crayfish, they come back out through the same holes. They can stay underwater for quite awhile."

"What is it that they are looking for under the ice? What kind of food are they getting?"

"They eat a lot of slow moving fish, like suckers. And they will also eat invertebrates like crayfish, that they find. Occasionally they will eat large insects, and then every once in awhile, they'll find a mammal or small bird."

"Does their diet vary, depending on what time of year it is?"

"Most probably, because the activities of fish change as the water temperature changes, but at this time of the year, they're probably eating crayfish and slow moving, bottom feeding fish."

"They don't seem to mind that there is a lot of ice around."

"No, they're very well insulated, and these animals travel widely. They'll swim, they'll romp on the ice, they are famous for sliding in the snow, they're fun to watch! And their active all year long."

"It does make me cold to look at them going in and out of that cold, looking water."

"Typically, we wouldn't do that, would we! But otters have incredibly dense fur, it's very waterproof, well oiled and so they can go into the water and their skin never gets wet."

"And there might be a little bit of blubber there too..."

"Well, there could be a little layer of fat that helps!"

"We are getting towards spring though, is this getting to be the time of year when they are starting to think about raising a family?"

"Indeed, they have probably been breeding through January, and February, and then the gestation period will lead to the birth of the young otters in probably May, here in Vermont."

By Sharon Meyer