A Study of a River Otter Family on an Island Heritage Trust Property on Deer Isle, Maine

Eisinger, Ben

A Study of a River Otter Family on an Island Heritage Trust Property on Deer Isle, Maine

Author(s)

Eisinger, Ben

Date Issued

March 24, 2023

Abstract

North American river otters (Lontra canadensis) have been expanding their range into habitats where they are previously extirpated. This study is designed to observe a romp of North American river otters residing on a strip of private land in Deer Isle, Maine that is recently transferred to the ownership of the Island Heritage Trust (IHT) during 2022. It is in the mutual interests of the Trust and the original land owner to have this strip of land turned into a nature preserve without disrupting or driving away the established otter romp, since they have the potential to be a tourist draw for the preserve. The primary objective of the study is to observe a half-rotation of the otters’ annual behavioral cycle (June 6 – November 25, 2022) using eight Cuddeback trail cameras for 723.93 trap days. During the study period, there are a total of 655 unique visits, of which 45 are of humans and 20 are river otter detections. The otter visits occurred in June and September through November. The results of this study can be used to propose possible approaches by which IHT could best preserve and protect the resident wildlife while also making the area suitable for the use of locals and other visitors as a future nature preserve.

Major

Environmental Science

First Reader(s)

Pearce, Kelly