Extremely Cute River Otter Spotted On The National Mall

A North American River otter was spotted doing as D.C. tourists do this morning – visiting the National Mall.

A North American river otter is a rare sight around the National Mall.🦦Once eliminated from the area, the species is on the road to recovery. Though they are cute & playful, you otter remember that they are wild animals & never get too close. #WashingtonDC pic.twitter.com/NpeeAUMGsl

The otter was seen near the Tidal Basin, apparently trying to hitch a free ride on one of the (pricey) paddle boats.

North American river otters are native to the Potomac River, but the elusive and largely nocturnal mammals are rarely spotted at the Mall. You're more likely to see them along shores of the Chesapeake Bay and throughout the region's rivers and streams. Their presence is actually an indication of a healthy environment; they have a low tolerance for polluted water. Once disappeared from the region, North American river otters have made a comeback in recent decades thanks to regulations on fur trapping and conservation, according to the National Zoo's Conservation Biology Institute.

As the National Park Service notes, otters are playful and very cute. But if they feel threatened, they can emit a cry that can be heard from 1.5 miles away, and according to the National Wildlife Federation, North American otters communicate through "whistles, yelps, growls, and screams." They also mark their territory with a "poop dance," which involves going number two while simultaneously wiggling their butts (so look twice before stepping into one of the swan boats on your next date.)

Monday morning's Mall-visiting otter isn't the first rare animal to be reported in unexpected local areas in recent years. Last summer, the National Park Service caught a coyote wandering in East Potomac Park, and a bobcat was spotted in Georgetown in November 2019.

If you don't see an otter on your next trip to the Tidal Basin, the National Zoo, which recently reopened, is also home to a family of North American river otters.

This story is from DCist.com, the local news website of WAMU.

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