44 LONGISLANDPRESS.COM • MAY 2019
PRESS OTTERS
PETS
RIVER OTTER-LY FANTASTIC CRITTERS
BY JUNGLE BOB
Tourists visiting Long Island often
refer to it as a playground. With the
region’s proximity to New York City
attractions, deep local history, and
beach allure, residents sometimes
don’t realize what a great place it is
to frolic.
There is one resident who really
knows what a ball life can be here,
with abundant diverse food, wide
open spaces to play in, and plenty of
places to swim in. He keeps to himself
for the most part and frankly left us
for a period of time not so long ago,
but he is back and enjoying life on
Long Island more than most. I am
talking about the river otter.
Otters were a fixture on our LI landscape
when our European forefathers
landed many centuries ago, but
the two didn't get along very well. The
luxurious pelts of this semi-aquatic
mammal were a valuable “resource”
to the early settlers. Trappers quickly
decimated the numbers here and the
otters that survived retreated north
to get away from the trapper’s jaws
and our growing communities.
Since the 1800s they haven’t been
connected to Long Island, but in the
last few decades they have slowly
returned. They are rarely seen however,
spending the vast majority of
their time in the water. When spotted
from afar, they can be mistaken for
many other more common fauna like
muskrats. But they are here, and their
jovial nature makes them one of the
most animated characters around.
Confined primarily to the North
Shore and the East End, otters need
only to be left alone to flourish.
Although babies may have multiple
predators, otters’ worst enemies are
automobiles as these animals are
roamers, often moving nocturnally,
and they become victims. Their
secretive nature is evident as
road kills are often the unfortunate
way to estimate their
numbers.
Although I was born in Manhattan,
I grew up on Long
Island, living in several
different places over my
years. I have seen otters in
many places in America,
including the Amazon,
but never here in my
own backyard. It warms
my heart to think that
young ones, fiercely
guarded by their
family, are actively
playing somewhere
Out East, playfully
loving life as they all
do.
If you want to
see one, please
don't go stomping
around the ponds Out
East: Leave them be!
But do take a page out
of their book. Go
enjoy the day with
your family and find
your playful side at
the Bronx Zoo or
Atlantis Marine
World to see for
yourself. Otters
have their priorities
straight and
life figured out!
Jungle Bob’s Reptile World
is located at 984 Middle
Country Rd. in Selden.
They can be reached at
junglebobsreptileworld.
com 631-737-6474.
Join the Celebration
75 Years of
No-Kill Action
and Compassion
A D O P T A P E T T O D A Y !
North Shore Animal League America has many
puppies, kittens, dogs, and cats to choose from.
Mixed-breeds, purebreds, and small breeds too!
OPEN FOR ADOPTIONS:
Friday • 4 PM - 9 PM
Saturday & Sunday • 12 PM - 8 PM
25 Davis Ave., Port Washington, NY 11050 • animalleague.org • 516.883.7575 • RR006
FOLLOW US ON:
ARE YOU
ONE OF THE
BEST?
WE KNOW YOU’RE
NODDING YES.
BETHPAGE BEST OF L.I. 2020
NOMINATIONS OPEN THROUGH AUGUST 31ST
BESTOFLONGISLAND.COM
(516) 962-3700
Otters are making a
comeback on LI.
(Getty Images)
/LONGISLANDPRESS.COM
/animalleague.org
/BESTOFLONGISLAND.COM
