Homeowner's camera captures rare footage of unexpected visitors playing in creek: 'For me, it was very exciting'

Homeowner's camera captures rare footage of unexpected visitors playing in creek: 'For me, it was very exciting'

Habitat loss and trapping slashed the common river otter's population in the late 1800s, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. The mammal was hunted to extremes during the Fur Trade Era (1600 to 1850) but was reintroduced in Ohio from 1986 to 1993.  Because of this reintroduction, the presence of river otters has been confirmed in 86 of 88 Ohio counties as of 2020. As these animals thrive, biodiversity is reinstated in areas whe…