Putting otters in the clear

River otter in Lake Woodruff NWR- photo by Andrea Westmoreland. License

River otter in Lake Woodruff NWR- photo by Andrea Westmoreland. License

I spent some time this week looking into ways to get involved in otter conservation, and I’ve found a number of activities which run the gamut from pressing a few buttons on your computer to spending some time hanging out in a stream. I’ve divided them up into several categories- hopefully you find something that is appealing!

You can help otters from the comfort of your desk by donating to the following organizations:

Practices in your own backyards can have an impact on river otters-

If you see a river otter, there are some people who would appreciate hearing about it:

You can volunteer to help with river restoration projects that benefit otters such as:

Or you can volunteer directly with otter researchers or rehabbers:

And remember that a large number of the options listed here involve local and regional groups, so you may find other opportunities close to you if you do a little searching. So see what you can find, and see if you can find a few river otters near you- they are great fun to watch!