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Northern river otters have taken up residence in the estuary at Huntley Meadows Park in Mount Vernon, delighting photographers and visitors who catch sight of them from the watchtower.
The otters have mainly appeared beneath a log near the area known as “the point,” where they can be seen from the top of the tower. Their underwater movements often produce a trail of bubbles, helping observers distinguish them from beavers, which usually swim at the surface and submerge only occasionally.
Northern river otters are found throughout Virginia, according to the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources. They are especially plentiful in food-rich coastal areas and along the lower reaches of streams and rivers.
The species once faced serious trouble in Virginia, particularly in the western part of the state, where its presence conflicted with some landowners. Wildlife officials launched a restoration effort, relocating 17 river otters from Louisiana to Virginia in 1988.
The population rebounded, and northern river otters were removed from Virginia’s endangered species list in 1990.