North American river otters eat, play and defecate in the same place. And their unhealthy habits make them ideal for detecting future health threats in the environment. Kristen Goodhue A North ...

A North American river otter (Lontra canadensis) wanders through a forest at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center. Credit: Calli Wise, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center YouTube video: ...

River otters really do have more fun. They jostle, belly-slide across ice and snow and toboggan down embankments into water. Splish splash. Few mammals are known to frolic as much as otters do, said ...

North American river otters have lived for a long time in Chesapeake Bay, yet relatively little is known about how their surroundings impact them. So what does daily life for river otters on the ...

Three North American river otters play in the snow on the docks of the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center. Detected with SERC’s night-vision wildlife cameras. North American river otters have ...