River otters have found West Virginia’s waterways a good place to live.

           The Division of Natural Resources says a relocation project started in 1984 has been such a success that otters can now be found in nearly all areas of the state.

            “They seem to have spread to al of the good habitat available in the state.” Says DNR biologist Rich Rogers.

           “Areas that don’t have otters now are either where human populations are very high or where acid mine drainage is a problem and water quality isn’t good enough to support enough fish for otter to eat.

           River otters historically lived throughout North America, but by the 1950s the animals were nonexistent in most of the state due to habitat loss or over trapping. During the early 1980s the DNR decided to try and reintroduce the animal using otters transplanted from Virginia, Louisiana and North Carolina.

            The first otters were release in the Little Kanawha, Elk and West fork watersheds.

            Now, based on surveys conduced in 2004 and this spring, otters have been confirmed in 40 of the state’s 55 counties.  DNR staff tracked the otters by conducting 107 bridge surveys across the state.  Staff looked for tacks and other signs like otter footprints above and below the bridges.

            While most of the otter population estimates come from the surveys, other came from animals aught in beaver and muskrat traps or nuisance calls.

           Although otter populations were once partially depleted by trapping, Rogers said the DNR’s ultimate goal is to open a trapping season for otter.  There is not timetable for when a season may open, but Rogers said a limited season could be tested in the near future.