More Otters in the Rio Grande Posted On: June 2, 2021 By: Britt Runyon Filed Under: Nature Tagged In: Otter, river otter, wildlife The newly relocated otters (Lutra canadensis) came from Abbeville, Louisiana. With the help of Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and trapper Ryan Schaefer, who removes nuisance otters on crayfish farms. Seven were release north of the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge and and two in Diablo Canyon, north of Santa Fe. The Bureau of Land Management, Taos field office assisted in the relocation process. Based on the occasional eyewitness reports from interested citizens and river rafters (that’s us), people know the otters are doing very well. For instance they’ve been seen all over the Wild Rivers area of the national monument, near Pilar, through Velarde. Also as far south as Cochiti Reservoir. They are built for swimming – having a streamlined body, short legs with webbed feet, dense fur to keep them warm, a tapered tail, small ears, and nostrils that can close underwater. Otter Fun Facts Read More…
River Otters of the Rio Grande Posted On: January 2, 2020 By: Britt Runyon Filed Under: Nature Tagged In: Otter, river otter River Otters of the Rio Grande First a few fun facts Otters (Lutra canadensis) are built for swimming – having a streamlined body, short legs with webbed feet, dense fur to keep them warm, a tapered tail, small ears, and nostrils that can close underwater. Member of Mustelidae family. A Mustelid has scent glands and mark their territory. They eat fish, crustaceans, amphibians, snakes, water insects, snails, worms, small mammals, birds, eggs, frogs, turtles, and many aquatic invertebrates. Crawfish are their favorite meal. Otters can hold their breath for up to 8 minutes. They spend two thirds of their time on land. The largest member of the weasel family. In the wild River Otters live less than 10 years. “Pups” is what you call baby otters. Did you know they have the thickest fur of any animal on the planet? Read More…
Otters are the Greatest Posted On: July 8, 2019 By: Britt Runyon Filed Under: Nature Tagged In: Otter, Rio Grande del Norte National Monument Otters in New Mexico? New Wave guide and photographer Britt Runyon photographed these baby otters in the Taos Box run of the Rio Grande. They were not afraid of the rafts, and stuck around. You never know where you will see them next, since they move upstream and down all the time. They were transplanted into the river by environmental nonprofits from across New Mexico, including folks from Taos Pueblo, Amigos Bravos and the BLM. Otter looks at the photographer Read More…
Big Day For Wildlife, 2-25-19 Posted On: April 1, 2019 By: Steve Miller Filed Under: Nature Tagged In: bald eagle, Bighorn sheep, ducks, Otter Yesterday (2-25-19) was a big day for wildlife viewing in the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument, in northern New Mexico. Shucks, it’s only a National Monument, but has populations of wildlife that rival National Parks. And this is especially so in the winter, when a variety of northern ducks and bald eagles arrive at the generally ice-free waters of the Rio Grande to winter. In less than an hour’s time, I was able to observe and photograph the creatures that follow. This first movie is of a pair of mallards feeding on midges that have been caught up in foam. Not over two miles upstream, I spotted a group of bighorn ewes and young, part way up the slope on the far side of the river. After filming this group of sheep, I looked back down at the river, and saw a long cylindrical shape in the water, which was, of course, an otter. I was seated in my van, using it as a blind, and the otter was about 160′ away (measured with Google Earth), so it was not alarmed. It swam leisurely up and down along the shoreline for a few minutes, before climbing out of the river. Read More…
Otters – Rio Grande, New Mexico Posted On: March 26, 2019 By: Steve Miller Filed Under: Nature Tagged In: Otter, Rio Grande del Norte National Monument Otters – Rio Grande del Norte National Monument, NM. Throughout the winter I visit the Orilla Verde Recreation Area, on the Rio Grande, NM. My purpose is to photograph the wintering birds and other wildlife that I run into. This is the stretch of river where our Monument Scenic Float trip takes place in the warmer months. Lately, I’ve had the good fortune of spotting otters. On the first occasion, I was parked in a pull-out that was somewhat elevated over the river, watching some bighorn sheep. Then, as I looked down, I saw an otter swimming near the far bank. As measured by Google Earth, I was 160′ distant, and the otter took no notice of me. So, I was able to get these photos with my superzoom Nikon Coolpix P900 camera. Otter Otter Read More…
The Rio Grande in Rocks Posted On: January 27, 2018 By: Steve Miller Filed Under: Nature Tagged In: Beaver, Bighorn sheep, Otter, Rio Grande del Norte National Monument Just downstream of Taos Junction Rapid, on the Rio Grande of northern New Mexico, is a group of basalt rocks that, at high water, are vigorously washed by strong currents. The sediment carried by the high water sculpts and polishes these rocks. To my eye, the sculpting of the rocks model the river’s waves, while the polish on the rocks model the river’s gleam. Read More…