Kentucky Fish & Wildlife is collecting lower jaws from hunted and trapped bobcats and river otters for a population study. Please contact the department at 1-800-858-1549 to request a sample packet and instructions.

The river otter is a semi aquatic mammal, they establish a burrow close to the waters edge. They spend 2/3 of the time on land. Their right lung is larger than their left, Having four lobes compared with two for the left. It is believed to be adaptive for underwater swimming.

Mar 9, 2025 · Yes, river otters can now be found throughout Kentucky. Once scarce due to over-trapping and habitat loss, these playful and fascinating creatures have made a remarkable comeback in the state. Today, they are a celebrated success story of wildlife conservation.

Results of research to date confirm that the recovery of river otters to Kentucky is well on its way to success with evidence of otters (sign, damage reports and/or trapper success) found in all 12 major watersheds. Otters continue to be less abundant in the far eastern regions of the Cumberland Plateau and Cumberland Mountains, and it is ...

Dec 30, 2015 · Wild-trapped otters from Louisiana were released at 14 sites in central and eastern Kentucky, in the Barren, Kentucky, Licking, Salt, Big Sandy, Nolin and Green River basins. By 1994, 355...

Mar 7, 2025 · Wild-trapped otters from Louisiana were released at 14 sites in central and eastern Kentucky, in the Barren, Kentucky, Licking, Salt, Big Sandy, Nolin, and Green River basins.

The highest otter mortality within Kentucky is most likely human-caused events: trapping, shooting, roadkill, and accidental capture in fishing nets or set lines.

The highest otter mortality within Kentucky is most likely human-caused events: trapping, shooting, roadkill, and accidental capture in fishing nets or set lines. Otters are a key component in Kentucky’s aquatic ecosystems and are often appreciated for …

Jan 31, 2023 · A long-time wildlife photographer in west Kentucky, Melodie Cunningham’s most recent snapshots of the North American river otter for the Land Between the Lakes Woodlands Nature Station came as a surprise to some.

Sep 19, 2020 · The North American River Otter all but disappeared from Kentucky in the early 1900s. The reintroduction project began in 1991. Kentucky was not the only state working towards bringing back the otter's numbers.