About Us

As part of the effort to track the habitat needs and home range patterns of this charismatic threatened species, we will begin our second year of tracking river otters in the Lexington to Central City portion of the Platte River. Five river otters were trapped in the fall of 2006, and eight in 2007. These river otters were implanted with radio-telemetry transmitters, and have been tracked since then, in order to provide data on daily and seasonal movements, home range, habitat use, and survival. The river otters will be tracked through 2008 and possibly beyond, depending on battery life. These data will help close existing information gaps and contribute to the creation of the Nebraska River Otter Management Plan and the Statewide Comprehensive Conservation Plan.Results as of January 2008:

• 5 river otters were trapped and equipped with transmitters in the fall of 2006, 3 males and 2 females
• 8 river otters were trapped and equipped with transmitter in the fall of 2007, 4 males and 4 females
• The 2 females from 2006 entered natal dens and appear to have reproduced
• One male traveled more than 80 miles from Wood River to Columbus, Nebraska
• More than 330 locations at den or resting sites
• More than 300 overnight movement locations
• 1 female river otter trapped and equipped with a transmitter so far in 2007