May 27^th is World Otter Day. Some of us imagine otters living in faraway places, but river otters are not as distant as they seem—they’ve been spotted right here in the VLAWMO watershed.

These charismatic creatures are important indicators of watershed health. River otters need healthy lakes, streams, and wetlands. They rely on connected habitats. Unlike sea otters, who float on their backs, river otters are nimble on land and in water. The good news? Protecting water helps protect otters.

VLAWMO is proud to partner with the national Otters for Water initiative through the River Otter Ecology Project. This project leverages the river otter’s recovery to support water conservation efforts across the country with partner organizations like VLAWMO.

Have you spotted any otters? Learn how to report your sightings and discover where otters have already been spotted at vlawmo.org/otters.

VLAWMO staff and the ROEP team thank those of you who have taken the time to share their otter sightings.