Dam, this is a big deal.
A North American river otter was spotted scurrying in the brush along the Bronx River this summer — marking the species’ first sighting in the borough in roughly a century.
The slippery critter was captured in June in just one blurry, motion-activated camera shot, with its distinct cone-shaped tail pointed at the lens, the Wildlife Conservation Society Bronx Zoo announced Wednesday.
The small animal’s head is covered by leaves — but the shot was clear enough for researchers to determine it was a rarely-seen river otter.
“When I first reviewed the images, I could hardly believe what I was seeing,” said RJ Hawkins, a scientist affiliated with the WCS’s Bronx Zoo.
“Knowing this may be the first documented river otter in the Bronx in generations was an incredible moment. It shows why long-term wildlife monitoring and environmental restoration efforts matter.”
River otters have all but vanished from the Big Apple over the past century, despite once being as common as gray squirrels and rats.
The aquatic mammal population was completely driven out of the five boroughs at the turn of the century due to “unregulated harvest, habitat destruction, and water pollution.”
By the 1990s, it was only found in the western half of the Empire State, according to the Department of Environmental Conservation.
Although river otters have slowly returned to the Hudson Valley and even Long Island, the slick creatures had not been seen in the Bronx until Hawkins’ sighting.
While researchers warn that the otter’s visit to the Big Apple could have been just a pitstop on a longer journey, they are also hailing the sighting as a good omen.
The water creatures have become known as indicators of healthy freshwater ecosystems because of their dependence on clean water and abundant fish.
“This otter’s return is a gift, not just to the Bronx River but to the communities that have fought for 50 years to bring this river back to life,” said Javier Lopez, Interim Executive Director of the Bronx River Alliance.
“For too long, the Bronx River was treated as a neglected afterthought, and our communities bore the burden of that neglect. Today, this otter reminds us that when we invest in nature, nature responds, and when communities lead, change is possible.
“This isn’t simply the story of one animal. It’s the story of an urban river coming back to life.”
