Go back 100 years and there were no river otters in the Genesee River Valley.  While historically they were found in every watershed in New York State, their populations had been decimated by trapping, hunting, water pollution and habitat destruction throughout the 19th century. 

Today, they live and prosper in the Genesee River Valley.  While not often seen, these nocturnal, semi-aquatic members of the weasel family are here.  Melanie Hunt, a resident in the Wellsville, NY area describes her first sighting: 

“I saw my first river otter an hour after sunrise on my forty-second birthday, in a wetland built to filter water on a remediated Superfund site. I didn’t know if it lived there or was just passing through. Over the next few years, I saw another. Then another.” – Melanie Hunt, Wellsville resident.

Photo to the left is a wetland created at a Superfund Remediation site in Wellsville.

Legal protection & recovery

Legal protections for the New York river otter were first put in place in the 1930’s, regulating their harvest, after many, many decades of over-trapping and hunting. With these restrictions in place, river otter populations in the eastern parts of New York State recovered but the Genesee Valley needed help.  That help came in the form of the New York River Otter Project. From 1995 to 2000 the project – led by New York’s Department of Environmental Conservation (NYDEC), the Seneca Park Zoo and many volunteers –  captured 279 river otters in eastern New York and released them at 16 different sites across the western part of the state. Long-term monitoring – including winter sign surveys (tracks, scat) – reveal that the river otter population is not just surviving but thriving.

Otters are creatures of the water

Otters spend most of their time in the water but are more likely to be seen in surrounding wetlands, streams and ponds than in the river itself.  Their dense fur, streamlined body, fully webbed feet, muscular tail and even closable nostrils and ears help make the water their home. Their diet consists primarily of fish but they are not picky and will eat almost anything they come across such as frogs, mussels and even turtles. 

According to the NYDEC, otters are most frequently seen in the winter. Another Genesee Valley resident, Nancy Chweicko and her husband Rich Tannen captured this video of a threesome – likely a mother and her two pups in a pond near their home in the Honeoye Creek watershed.  Throughout the year, Nancy and Rich occasionally capture otters on their trail cam along with other rarely seen but recovering species such as bobcats and fishers.  

Otters as an “indicator” species

With their diet of fish, river otters are a “top predator” in aquatic ecosystems. That means they bear the brunt of the effects of water pollution which can be concentrated up the food chain…And as such…river otters are considered an “indicator species” of the health of a watershed.  That the Genesee River watershed supports these playful, hardy mammals is a sign of recovery. 

As Melanie wrote: 

“The Genesee River, once damaged by New York’s 19th-century oil boom, was slowly changing. On December 14, 2024, I finally saw proof: a family unit hunting together in the restored channels. Their return feels like evidence that repair is possible — that what we break can sometimes be healed.” – Melanie Hunt, Wellsville

This article is part of a Genesee RiverWatch series – Check out all of the articles here: Winter on the River.

At Genesee RiverWatch, we work year-round to protect the water quality and shoreline habitats that species such as the river otter depend on. And, we provide information and programs to connect people to the river. You can help us keep the basin a sanctuary for wildlife and a great place to experience by donating, joining in on summer paddles, or volunteering for our next river cleanup.

Photo Credits: Melanie Hunt. Video provided by Nancy Chwiecko.