First Record of a River Otter, Lontra canadensis, Captured on the Northeastern Coast of Alaska

A River Otter (Lontra canadensis) was captured on the Beaufort Sea coast of northeastern Alaska during a coastal fish study in late July 2001. The otter was dead upon retrieval and of adult size. River Otter distribution is not known to extend north of Alaska’s Brooks Range. This occurrence may have...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Canadian Field-Naturalist
Main Author: Haskell, Shawn P.
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: The Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club 2006
Subjects:
River Otter
Beaufort Sea
Lontra canadensis
fyke net
distribution
Alaska
Brooks Range
north slope
Lontra
Online Access:https://www.canadianfieldnaturalist.ca/index.php/cfn/article/view/294
https://doi.org/10.22621/cfn.v120i2.294
Description
Summary:A River Otter (Lontra canadensis) was captured on the Beaufort Sea coast of northeastern Alaska during a coastal fish study in late July 2001. The otter was dead upon retrieval and of adult size. River Otter distribution is not known to extend north of Alaska’s Brooks Range. This occurrence may have represented a one-time spring dispersal event. However, fluviomorphological features of some river systems may provide suitable habitat for an overwintering otter in this region of Alaska’s North Slope.

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