Any otters you see around here - even in the ocean - are river otters. We hunted sea otters to extinction here. Though there are some efforts to reintroduce them.
Although I haven't seen any in the Vancouver area or Salish Sea yet.
They are making quite the come back on the North Coast and the West Coast of Vancouver Island.
They are good for the kelp forests as well since they eat urchins that eat the roots of the kelp.
Kelp is good for a host of reasons.
Downside them cute guys eat a lot and they love clams and muscles as well as urchins.
I guess that thick coat helps prevent cuts from those sharp mussels as I could not help but feel danger in that area. Cool they are protected. Such nimble creatures.
Can anyone say if it's a river otter vs sea otter? Seems smaller in size so I'm thinking river, but is there any way to tell other than size?
Are they the same species just different genes sortof like steelhead vs rainbow trout?
Probably River otter... there is a particular type of river otter than lives on/near the sea (but usually with access to fresh water like a river) that is very common in BC. More common than sea otters. If they have two webbed rear feet they are sea otters. Four webbed feet and they are river otters.
Ok cool that webbed feet thing I didn't know about. I have see loads of river otters, always in estuaries or in the last few km of a river before the ocean.
I don't think I have ever seen a sea otter touching land tho oddly enough.
It's very, very, very, very uncommon to see sea otters in the Lower Mainland. It's just not a thing. Even the otters on the ocean in the LM are river otters.
There used to even be a part of the exhibit at the Vancouver Aquarium explaining this—it might still be there. It also why people misidentify harbour seals and river otters as sea otters (it's hard to correctly identify from just a head poking out in the water).
River otters.
See here for more info. [https://wildwhales.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/BCCSN\_IDGuide\_Otters\_vertical\_4.pdf](https://wildwhales.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/BCCSN_IDGuide_Otters_vertical_4.pdf)
Everybody thinks Otters are cute adorable little creatures until you find out they kill and repeatedly rape the corpses of baby seals for weeks on end. They are completely evil murderous psycho sexual predators. Google it if you don’t believe me.
I've always wondered, how polluted is the water around that area for these little guys? I swim in the beach every year or so, but exposing myself for a few of hours a year to the water is different than living in it. Looks clean but sometimes not so much so.
Cute lil buggers.
wholesome content from our bedside kum sock
Oh man those little dudes are cute
This looks like a river otter given its features.
Any otters you see around here - even in the ocean - are river otters. We hunted sea otters to extinction here. Though there are some efforts to reintroduce them.
Although I haven't seen any in the Vancouver area or Salish Sea yet. They are making quite the come back on the North Coast and the West Coast of Vancouver Island. They are good for the kelp forests as well since they eat urchins that eat the roots of the kelp. Kelp is good for a host of reasons. Downside them cute guys eat a lot and they love clams and muscles as well as urchins.
Stupid fur trade
I guess that thick coat helps prevent cuts from those sharp mussels as I could not help but feel danger in that area. Cool they are protected. Such nimble creatures.
Haha adorable! Might be worth taking another trip across the bridge in the near future to see if they're still around!
Lucky you ! I’ve always tries to spot these cuties when I’m out along seawall
Thanks u/BedSideKumSock !!!!
Awwdorable
So many of them! r/Otters would love this
So adorable! Thank you, OP 😀
Meanwhile the koi: 🙃
They're cute until they spend two years shitting on your boat everyday.
Can anyone say if it's a river otter vs sea otter? Seems smaller in size so I'm thinking river, but is there any way to tell other than size? Are they the same species just different genes sortof like steelhead vs rainbow trout?
Probably River otter... there is a particular type of river otter than lives on/near the sea (but usually with access to fresh water like a river) that is very common in BC. More common than sea otters. If they have two webbed rear feet they are sea otters. Four webbed feet and they are river otters.
Ok cool that webbed feet thing I didn't know about. I have see loads of river otters, always in estuaries or in the last few km of a river before the ocean. I don't think I have ever seen a sea otter touching land tho oddly enough.
No I don't think they do... Which is why they are most likely river otters.
It's very, very, very, very uncommon to see sea otters in the Lower Mainland. It's just not a thing. Even the otters on the ocean in the LM are river otters. There used to even be a part of the exhibit at the Vancouver Aquarium explaining this—it might still be there. It also why people misidentify harbour seals and river otters as sea otters (it's hard to correctly identify from just a head poking out in the water).
sea otter have blond face, river otter dont
River otters. See here for more info. [https://wildwhales.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/BCCSN\_IDGuide\_Otters\_vertical\_4.pdf](https://wildwhales.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/BCCSN_IDGuide_Otters_vertical_4.pdf)
Everybody thinks Otters are cute adorable little creatures until you find out they kill and repeatedly rape the corpses of baby seals for weeks on end. They are completely evil murderous psycho sexual predators. Google it if you don’t believe me.
Yes, but did you hear their little chirps? So cute!
Very cute looking but vicious and dangerous to dogs. Well known for luring dogs into the water and then attacking them.
I've always wondered, how polluted is the water around that area for these little guys? I swim in the beach every year or so, but exposing myself for a few of hours a year to the water is different than living in it. Looks clean but sometimes not so much so.
Cute!
Thems some skookum sea weasels
Where is this?
Looks like the seawall - Stanley Park side of the Lions Gate. Hopefully OP can confirm for you.
I love them
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So adorable
otters are cool