The North American River Otter is Back!

By Terri Estes

Once extirpated from almost all of New York State, the river otter is making a strong comeback on Long Island. They can be found in all the main waterways, ponds and creeks on the North Shore from Mill Pond/Oyster Bay all the way to Orient Point.

River otter pelts are highly prized for their soft, dense, durable fur. This is because they have a two-layer system with a protective, water-resistant, glossy outer layer and a thick insulating under layer. They are considered one of the most durable pelts. Intense demand for these pelts during the fur trade era from the 1600s to the early 1900s and unregulated trapping severely decimated the population of the river otter throughout North America. They were completely gone from Long Island from the late 1800s until the early 2000s.

In 2009, a Seatuck biological scientist documented the recolonization of Long Island by river otters. Using reports of sightings, roadkill and accidental trappings, he researched 150 potential otter sites and was able to verify otters in three of those locations: Mill Neck/Oyster Bay, Nissequogue River and the Peconic Bay. As of 2025, otters can be found in most of the main waterways from Orient Point to East Marion. There is a strong population in Northport, Huntington Bay and Oyster Bay, as well as Riverhead and East on the North Fork.

It is hard to say how many otters are now on Long Island. They are nocturnal and very elusive. They spend most of their time in the water and along the shores of their chosen bodies of water. Otters are not territorial and share their areas with other unrelated otters. They are very social animals. Even if they find an ideal place to hunt and feel safe, they will not stay if other otters are not in the area. Solitary life is not for them. They coexist and socialize with other otters. Male otters will do cooperative hunting. They could be unrelated males, but they will travel together and drive fish into shallow waters, where they can catch them easily.

The biggest problem for otters here on Long Island is our extensive road system. Although they don’t usually leave the water and shoreline, otters sometimes have to get from a pond to a connecting waterway. This usually involves crossing a road. The biggest source of mortality here is being struck by cars. River otters have a home territory of up to 20 miles, so there are bound to be many roads to cross.

There is a push to put up cinderblock ladders between bodies of water so they can travel through wetlands instead of roadways to navigate the complex waterways of Long Island. Otters are such charismatic and happy creatures. People naturally want them to flourish. I’m hoping their sunny disposition and adorable good looks will help get the public behind their plight and help to push the powers-that-be to take the necessary steps to keep the otters safe!