🦦 Spotted recently on the Otter Tail River! OTTER FUN FACTS: 1. 🦦 Otters were once nearly gone from Minnesota — they made an amazing comeback thanks to conservation and reintroduction efforts in the 1980s. 2. 💦 They use snowbanks as waterslides. Winter playtime = sliding for fun (and travel!). 3. 🏊 They can swim up to 7 miles per hour and hold their breath for 4–5 minutes underwater. 4. 😄 They’re super social. Otters often travel and play in family groups called romps. 5. 🐟 They eat about

💙🦦 North American river otters are considered a keystone species, which means other species in the same habitat largely depend on the existence of river otters. They are a top predator and their presence also reflects the health of the ecosystem around them. Find river otters, and you will find healthy streams and rivers. 💧👋 See them at American Trail! | Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute